El Roque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let me give it to you straight: the next couple of weeks here are looking grim, my friends. We’ve got a lot of wind and not much quality. This is one of those stretches where you might be better off waxing the longboard and staying on the couch.

The outlook starts today, Monday the 10th, and right from the get-go, it’s a struggle. We’re looking at a northerly swell hitting El Roque but the wind is just a mess. The swell is coming in from the NNE at around 5ft with a short, weak period of 6 seconds. The energy is moderate at best (190). To make matters worse, we have a moderate breeze from the N, blowing onshore, which is going to make everything choppy and horrible. The water temp is 75°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but you won’t be feeling that through the wind chill.

That whole first week is basically a write-off. Monday through to Sunday the 17th, it’s the same story. The swell sticks between 3ft and 6ft, period rarely gets above 7 seconds, and the wind is either cross-onshore or onshore. It's constantly moderate breeze strength, so expect bumpy, blown-out conditions every single day. This is just poor surf.

Now, around Monday the 18th, we start to see a slight shift. The period finally stretches to 9 seconds, which is a hint of better energy, but the swell height drops back to 4ft to 4ft. The wind is still onshore from the N. The energy values are sitting around the 240-295 mark, so it's still moderate. It’s better than the previous week, but only in the sense that a kick in the shins is better than a kick in the teeth. It’s still not good.

The following week, from the 19th through the 24th, is more of the same. There’s a bit of a pulse on the 22nd and 23rd, with swell hitting 6ft and period up to 7 seconds, with energy climbing to 330. The wind is sometimes offshore, but mostly onshore or cross-onshore. It’s just not clean enough to get excited about.

The standout in this whole gloomy forecast is shaping up to be Tuesday the 25th of August. We’re looking at a swell of 7ft from the NE with a period of 8 seconds. The energy jumps up to a strong 595. That’s the best wave energy we’ll see in this whole window. But—and there's always a but—the wind is forecast to be a moderate onshore breeze from the NNE. For a reef break like El Roque, that’s not ideal. It’s going to have some push, but it will be lumpy. This is the one day for the experts who are willing to wrestle with a bit of chop for some size. For beginners, that 7ft is going to be a handful.

So, overall, it's a tough watch. There’s no clean, glassy day in sight. The only real hope is that last day, the 25th, for the big swell. But don't hold your breath for perfection.

Rusty.

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