La Chocolatera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, listen up. Rusty here, and I’ve been chewing on the numbers for this stretch of coast. It’s a grim story, plain and simple. The wind is the enemy, blowing straight onshore from the SW for nearly the whole first week and a half. That’s a recipe for choppy, blown-out junk.

The swell is small, mostly in the 3 to 4 ft range, but it’s all windswell. The energy is weak to moderate, with readings mostly between 300 and 400 (moderate wave energy), which is a lot of push for not much quality. The water temp is about what you’d expect for this time of year.

The first real hope is way off on Monday, July 20th. The morning at La Chocolatera shows a pulse. The swell is supposed to hit 5 ft from the SW, with the energy jumping to 805 (strong wave energy). The wind is light from the SW, so it’s still onshore, but light enough it might be okay. It’s listed as marginal, meaning the tide will be key, but it’s the best thing we’ve got. Thursday, July 23rd morning also has a 5 ft swell, again from the SW, but the period is a short 8 seconds, so it’ll be lumpy, and the energy is 439 (moderate wave energy). There’s a late tease on Friday, July 24th, with a very long period swell (23 seconds) from the SW, but the height is a tiny 2 ft, and the energy is 769 (strong wave energy). That’s a classic groundswell that’s just too weak to break.

The standout is the morning of Monday, July 20th. That 5 ft swell from the SW with light wind is the only window that looks like it might produce a rideable wave. It’s a gamble, but it’s the only one. The spot is La Chocolatera (Ecuador), a point break that’s inconsistent, so it doesn’t fire often, and when it does, it can get crowded. It’s for intermediate surfers, so beginners should be careful with that 5 ft swell.

It’s a rough outlook, but it tends not to stay this flat for long around here. Keep an eye on the forecasts.

Rusty.

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