La Cicer Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s get straight into it.

To be honest, the next couple of weeks look pretty grim for a proper surf at La Cicer. I’ve been watching the charts and it’s a long, frustrating stretch. Right from the start, from Sunday the 12th through to the end of July, there’s not a single day that’s firing. We’re looking at a solid run of poor surf conditions, with only a brief moment on Wednesday the 22nd that’s even borderline.

Starting off Sunday morning the 12th, there’s a tiny 4ft swell from the NNW, period only 8 seconds, so weak and short-period. Wind is a steady 9 mph from the north, which is technically offshore but it’s not cleaning it up. Still, the wave comment says poor surf, so don’t get excited. The combined energy is weak at 172. Water temp is 73°F, and with an anomaly of just 1°F, so about average for this time of year.

That same small, choppy story carries through all of the first week. Monday through Thursday, the swell hovers around 2ft to 5ft, all from the NNW or NNE, with short periods of 5 to 8 seconds. The wind is a problem – mostly cross-onshore from the NNE or NE at 9 to 12 mph, leaving the surface messy. The combined energy barely cracks 200 on the best days, and most mornings are under 100. It’s flat and lumpy.

By Thursday the 16th, we see a slight bump to 4ft, but period is still 6 seconds and the wind is cross-onshore again. Not worth the paddle.

Friday the 17th and into the weekend of the 18th and 19th, the swell finally starts to build. We’re talking 5ft to 7ft from the NNE, with periods up to 8 seconds. The combined energy jumps into the moderate range (228 to 636). But here’s the rub: the wind is onshore or cross-on at 16 mph. That’s going to be a messy, blown-out mess. The wave comment still says poor. That kind of size with onshore wind at a beach setup just makes for choppy, hard-to-read waves. Honestly, for a kite surfer, this might be interesting, but for a paddle surfer it’s not happening.

The following week, Monday the 20th through Thursday the 23rd, the swell stays solid at 6ft to 7ft, periods hitting 9 seconds, combined energy climbing into the 500 to 700 range. That energy is moderate to strong, but again, the wind stays onshore from the N and NNW at 9 to 16 mph. The only slight hope is Wednesday morning the 22nd, where the comment reads “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions” – that’s the only time we get a 1 out of 10 instead of zero. The swell is 6ft from the N, 10 second period, energy at 570, but the wind is cross-shore from the NE at 9 mph, so maybe a little cleaner but still not good. Don’t hold your breath.

From the 24th onward, the swell drops back to 4ft to 5ft, periods around 9 to 10 seconds, with onshore winds still the theme. It’s not going to be worth the drive.

So, bottom line: there is no standout, no day to circle on the calendar. It’s a 16-day stretch of poor surf with only one marginal window on the 22nd July, and even that is iffy. If you’re itching for something, maybe keep an eye on that Wednesday, but don’t expect much. This is one of those runs where the best thing to do is wait for a change in the forecast.

– Rusty

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