Hornitos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Hornitos over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you, it’s a mixed bag, and we’re waiting a fair few days before anything really peaks.

The water at Hornitos is sitting at a very warm 65°F, which is 5°F above normal for this time of year – that’s notably warmer than usual, so you might get away with a spring suit or even a shorty.

Looking at the first few days, Sunday the 9th kicks off with a 4ft south-west swell but the wind is cross-on and it’s looking a bit sad and choppy with combined energy at 756 (moderate). Not worth rushing out for. Monday the 10th sees a bit more push, with the swell building to 5ft in the morning and up to 5ft in the afternoon (combined energy hitting 1011 and 1251 – strong) but the cross-on wind is putting a chop on it both sessions. It’s a struggle.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Tuesday the 11th morning is still cross and messy, but the afternoon... that’s the standout in this whole window. The wind drops to zero, going completely glassy, with a clean 4ft south-west swell at 13 seconds (medium period). Combined energy is at 543 (moderate). That’s proper clean conditions for a wave. Hornitos is fairly exposed to the swell and the optimum direction is south-west, which matches up nicely. Be aware that crowds here are sometimes an issue, so you might have some company, but for a Tuesday arvo it could be worth the paddle.

After that, Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th drop right off to a tiny 2ft – 3ft and mostly choppy. Not much to talk about. Friday the 14th is similar with knee-high slop.

We get a little pulse again on Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th, with the swell building to 5ft in the afternoon on Sunday, and up to 6ft by Monday afternoon. Combined energy hits 907 and 961 (strong). But the wind is onshore or cross-on, so it’s going to be a bumpy ride. That 6ft is getting up there for beginners, more for the intermediate crowd.

The second week is honestly quiet. From Tuesday the 18th onward, it’s mostly 2ft to 3ft, with light cross-on winds and marginal or poor conditions. Nothing to set the world on fire. The combined energy drops to the low hundreds by the end of the week. The long gap of small, poor surf stretches from Wednesday the 12th right through to maybe Saturday the 16th, and then again from Tuesday the 18th to the end of the window.

Bottom line: Tuesday afternoon the 11th is your best bet by a long shot. Get out there when it’s glassy. Anything after that is a gamble on smaller, wind-affected waves until we see if the forecasts change.

- Rusty

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