El Roque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, let’s talk about the next 16 days. I’ll be straight with you – this is a tough stretch. The forecast is pretty much a long, frustrating run of "poor surf conditions" with no real window of quality. So if you’ve got other plans, maybe don’t hold your breath for a surf session.

The only spot in the mix is El Roque, a beginner-friendly reef setup that’s fairly consistent and exposed to the north-northwest. It’s the kind of wave that can handle a bit of swell, but it’s not doing us any favours right now. The water temp is sitting at 73°F, which is about average for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick wetsuit.

Looking at the whole period starting from now, it’s a dry spell. There’s no standout day, no magic window. Every single session from Sunday 2nd August right through to Monday 17th August is tagged as poor surf conditions. The swell hangs around, but it’s short-period stuff – mostly 6 to 8 seconds – and the wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore, keeping things messy. The combined wave energy is moderate, ranging from about 123 to 564, but it’s all wind-affected junk.

The swell height builds from 4 ft up to 7 ft by Thursday 13th August, and it stays in that 6 ft to 7 ft range for a while. That’s small enough for beginners but not really breaking clean. The direction is consistently from the north-northeast, which is a bit off the optimum for El Roque – it wants a more north-northwest angle. The period never gets long enough to call it groundswell, so the energy is weak and the shape is poor.

If you’re a beginner, this might still be worth a paddle on a calm morning, but honestly, with the wind howling from the north at 12–16 mph most days, it’s a fight. The wind direction is often onshore, which means bumpy, choppy conditions. The water will be a mess.

There’s a bit of a gap at the start – no surf worth mentioning until Sunday morning, but even then it’s poor. So the whole 16-day window is a blank run. This kind of stretch is more normal for the area when the trade winds lock in and the swell direction is off. It’s not surprising, but it’s disappointing.

Honestly, with the wind and the short, weak swell, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The consistent onshore wind and moderate energy mean you’d get some decent rides on a kite, but for a surfboard, it’s a no-go.

So, I’d say put the board away for now. Forecasts can change, but this one’s pretty locked in. Keep an eye out, but don’t get your hopes up.

Rusty.

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