El Roque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for El Roque.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a write-off for quality surf. We’ve got a blank run from the start, with nothing worth getting excited about.

The first real chance of a wave is from Tuesday the 18th of August, but it’s not a good one. Swell is coming in at 3 ft from the north, with a short period of 8 seconds, and the wind is a cross-on from the NNE at 9 mph. The water temp is a touch warmer than normal at 75°, but that’s about the only positive. The combined energy is weak to moderate (142). It’s choppy and messy. Honestly, this is a kite-surfing breeze more than a surf forecast.

The pattern doesn’t get any better as we move through the week. The swell stays small, under 5 ft, and the wind keeps blowing onshore or cross-onshore from the north or north-northeast. Even when the swell period stretches to 10 seconds on the 24th of August, with a combined energy of 342, the wind is still cross-on at 9-12 mph, ruining any chance of a clean face. The water temp anomaly isn’t given for those days, but the conditions are consistently poor.

As we push into the second week, the energy picks up a bit. By the 27th of August, we’re seeing 6 ft to 7 ft of north-northeast swell, and the combined energy climbs into the moderate-to-strong range (482 to 671). That sounds promising, but the wind is still a cross-on mess from the NNE at 16 mph. The period is short to moderate at 7-9 seconds, and the wave comment is still “poor surf conditions.” This is a raw, lumpy, and unrefined ocean. It’s too big for beginners for sure, but the wind is going to make it a battle for even the experts.

There is one date that stands out as the best on offer, but it’s a long way off. On the 2nd of September, the swell drops right back to 2 ft, but it’s coming from the NNW with a period of 10 seconds, and the wind is onshore from the NNE. The combined energy is weak (125). It’s not a standout by any stretch, it’s just the least bad day in a very poor run.

The crowd situation at El Roque is listed as “sometimes” busy, so on the rare occasion it’s clean, you might have a few friends out. But given the consistent onshore and cross-onshore winds, you’ll likely have the place to yourself. This is just a tough run for the area. The forecast can change, but right now, I’d leave the board at home.

Rusty.

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