El Unico Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a hard look at this stretch of coast. Straight up, I gotta be honest with you – this 16-day window is a tough one. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with barely a whisper of surf for the first week or so. The waves are just not cooperating, and the wind is a constant problem. It’s the kind of forecast that makes you want to wax the longboard just in case, but mostly it’s a waiting game.

The first real sign of life doesn't show up until way later. We’ve got a gap of nearly a week with nothing worth mentioning. From Thursday the 20th through Monday the 24th, it’s all tiny, weak slop. Swell heights are scraping the bottom of the barrel at 0.7ft to 1ft, with combined energy barely registering (5 to 90). The wind is a constant cross-off or cross-shore breeze, never truly glassy, leaving the surface just messy enough to make it feel like a waste of time. The water temp is a balmy 84°F, which is right on the money for this time of year, so at least it’s warm out there.

Things get a bit more interesting starting Tuesday the 25th, but it’s still a struggle. The swell picks up to 6ft from the ENE, but the period is a short 7 seconds, making it weak and bumpy. The combined energy pushes into the moderate range (296), but the wind is still a cross-off breeze. On Wednesday the 26th, the swell holds at 4ft to 4ft, but the wind shifts to a cross-shore, which is going to chop things up. It’s still not clean, and the period is short. This pattern of marginal surf continues through the end of the month.

The only true standout, and I mean the *only* one, falls on Saturday the 29th. The afternoon sees a pulse of swell hitting 8ft from the ENE. The combined energy skyrockets to 690 – that’s a strong, powerful push. The wind is a cross-off breeze, keeping the surface clean. Now, this is a big swell for El Unico, remember, this is an advanced-only break anyway. At 8ft, it’s expert territory, and the period is only 8 seconds, so it’s not a classic groundswell but it’ll have some punch. The wind is good, the energy is there. That Saturday afternoon session is the one to circle. The rest of the weekend and into September is a drop-off again, with the swell fading and the wind returning to that frustrating cross-shore pattern.

So, if you’re a seasoned surfer, you’ve got one shot. Saturday the 29th afternoon at El Unico. It’s big, it’s clean, and it’s got power. But don’t expect any company – it’s a spot that’s often crowded, so expect a few other chargers out there. For everyone else, it’s a long wait for very little reward.

Rusty.

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