El Roque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s look at what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – this is a tough stretch. The only break that’s really showing up is El Roque, a reef setup that’s fairly consistent and exposed to the swell. Water temp is sitting at 76°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

The forecast starts off with clear skies and a moderate cross-onshore breeze from the NE on Monday afternoon, 31st August. Swell is around 4 ft from the NE with a short period of 7 seconds and combined energy of 268 – it’s weak, messy, and the wind is cross-on. Honestly, it’s poor surfing conditions. There’s nothing to get excited about.

Tuesday, 1st September, stays much the same – cross-onshore to onshore winds, short period swell, and the energy bumps up a bit in the afternoon to 323 but still poor surf quality. Wednesday the 2nd sees a bit more size, around 7 ft to 7 ft from the NNE with period still just 8 seconds, and energy jumps into the moderate range at 605 in the morning. But the wind is onshore, and conditions are still poor. That’s getting a bit too hefty for beginners, and with the onshore wind, it’s not going to be pretty.

Through the rest of the first week and into the second, it’s a grim run. Every single session is flagged as poor surf conditions, with mostly onshore or cross-onshore winds, short period swell (6 to 8 seconds), and weak to moderate energy. The swell direction stays locked in from the NNE or N, which is not the optimum direction for El Roque – it likes a NW swell. The wind is never favourable, and the wave quality is trash.

From around the 4th of September through to the 12th, we’re looking at a solid 9-day stretch with no redeeming features. Waist-high mush, onshore wind, and no real energy. The combined energy drops into the 100s and low 200s – weak stuff.

Then on Sunday the 13th of September, something interesting happens. The swell drops to just 2 ft, but the period jumps to 12 seconds in the morning and 11 seconds in the afternoon. That’s a proper groundswell pulse, but it’s tiny. The energy is moderate at 223 and 200, but the wind is still onshore from the N and NNE. The longer period can make the waves more shapely, but at that size and with the wind blowing on, it’s not going to do much at a reef. The swell direction is also N, not the optimum NW. Still, it’s a glimmer of something different.

The very end of the forecast, on Tuesday the 15th of September, sees the wind drop to a slight air – almost glassy – from the N, with swell tiny at 3 ft, period 6 seconds, and energy at 101. That’s calm but flat.

So here’s the bottom line: there are no good surf options in this 16-day window. Not one session scores above zero. The wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore, the swell is short-period and weak, and the direction never aligns with what El Roque needs. Conditions are consistently poor. For an area where El Roque is fairly consistent, this is a barren run. It’s a rare stretch of bad luck. If you’re a kite surfer, with the onshore winds and moderate swell, the setup might be more interesting for you, but for a paddle surfer, leave the board at home.

Rusty

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