El Roque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, fellow surfers, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the next couple of weeks have in store for us at El Roque.

Straight up, this is a tough stretch of days. We are looking at a long, bleak run of poor surf conditions that stretches almost all the way through the forecast window. The first real glimmer of any surf action is hard to find, and it's a long wait for anything that's even slightly worth talking about.

For the first several days, beginning Saturday the 5th of September, and running all the way through to Saturday the 12th, it's a mess. We've got a relentless onshore or cross-onshore wind blowing out of the N and NNE at 12 mph, sometimes gusting to 16 mph. The swell is present, between 4 ft and 5 ft, but with a short, weak period of just 5 to 7 seconds. The combined energy (between 102 and 411) is there, but that energy is completely wasted with this wind. The wind state is "on" or cross-on, and the wave comment is "poor surf conditions" across the board. This is not surfable for a paddle boarder; it’s blown out, choppy, and messy.

There is a slight change on Sunday the 13th of September. We finally get a break from the wind. The morning starts glassy with a WNW breeze at 3 mph, and the afternoon goes glassy as well with an E breeze. The swell drops right off to just 3 ft from the N with a 7-second period. The combined energy is weak (97-101), but the conditions are described as "glassy" and "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." This is the only period where you could get a board wet, but you’d be scratching for tiny, weak waves. It's a very poor quality option.

After that brief, calm window, the onshore winds return from Monday the 14th of September onward. The swell stays small, mostly below 3 ft, with a mix of short to moderate periods (8 to 9 seconds). The combined energy remains weak to moderate (up to 175), but the persistent NNE and N winds at 6 to 12 mph make it all a write-off.

Way out on Friday the 19th and Saturday the 20th, we see a bump in period from the NNW, hitting 14 to 15 seconds, with a combined energy around 155-161. This is a very long period groundswell. The swell height is tiny, only 1 ft, so it's not going to produce much usable face. However, for a reef break like El Roque, a long-period swell like this can wrap in and produce clean lines if the timing is right. The wind is onshore from the NNW, but at 9 mph, which isn't ideal. This is a long-range flicker of hope, but it's a long shot. The swell is just too small to get excited about.

The bottom line: The only date that offers anything close to a surf is Sunday the 13th of September, and even then, it's a glassy but tiny 3 ft wave. For the rest of the 16 days, it’s a firm no-go. This area is going through a blank run, and it’s more normal for it to be poor than good. Don't hold your breath.

Stay patient,
Rusty.

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