El Roque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer.

Honestly, I’m looking at a pretty grim picture for the next 16 days. There’s a lot of swell, no doubt about it, but the conditions are just not cooperating. We’re looking at a solid 10-day stretch starting Wednesday the 15th of July right through to the 25th, where every single report is flagged as "poor surf conditions." It’s a real shame because the energy in the water is building nicely.

The first real swell we see kicks in around Thursday the 16th of July, with a 4ft NNE swell and a short, weak 5-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 114, but it’s already blown out. The wind is a cross-onshore NE breeze at 9 mph, making it choppy. It’s not worth paddling out for.

The real tease comes from Friday the 17th of July through to Sunday the 26th of July. The swell climbs steadily, going from 5ft to over 8ft by the 23rd, all from the NNE. The energy ramps up big time, hitting 748 on the 23rd, which is a very strong pulse of energy. But – and it’s a big but – the wind is onshore or cross-onshore the whole time, mostly a moderate breeze from the N or NNE at 12 to 16 mph. That’s just going to turn any potential into a messy, blown-out wall. For a reef break like El Roque that needs an offshore wind from the South to clean up, this is a write-off.

If you’re a kitesurfer, this setup might actually be interesting. The combination of moderate to strong wave energy (like 246 on the 18th, 266 on the 19th, and 748 on the 23rd) with strong cross-onshore winds makes for a solid wind swell that’s more suitable for a kite than a paddle board.

There’s a tiny window of hope on the 26th of July, Sunday morning. The wind drops to a gentle breeze from the North at 9 mph, and the swell is still a solid 7ft from the NNE with a period of 8 seconds and very strong energy (645). It’s still onshore, so it won’t be perfect, but it might be the least bad option for a surfer who is really desperate. The 7ft waves are getting into the “experts only” territory, though.

After that, the swell steadily drops off through the 30th, with the energy fading to 134 by Thursday the 30th of July, with a 5ft NNE swell and a short 6-second period. The wind stays onshore or cross-onshore at 16 mph, so it’s still poor.

Bottom line: there is no standout session here. The best you’re going to get is a messy, onshore wave with a lot of energy behind it. If you must paddle out, the morning of the 26th of July at El Roque is your best bet, but keep your expectations low. It’s a stretch.

Rusty.

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