La Derecha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks. Rusty here. Let’s talk about La Derecha. The first week is a real slow burn, but if you can wait, the second week has some fire.

The water is about 55°F, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year. But the surf? It’s sad. We’re looking at tiny, weak swell, mostly under 3 feet, and the wind is either cross-on or just messy. The combined wave energy is weak, hanging around 130. It’s that choppy, small-wave feeling that’s just not worth the paddle. Monday the 3rd sees a little bump in energy to 256 with a 4ft SSE swell, but the wind is onshore and the conditions are just marginal. Tuesday the 4th is similar with a 3ft SSE swell and cross-shore wind, leaving a slight chop. Honestly, the first few days are a wash.

Things get weird by Friday the 7th. The wind goes offshore and clean, but the swell is coming from the NE with a terrible, short period of just 5 seconds. The energy is a pathetic 61. You’ll have clean-looking water, but no push to ride. Saturday the 8th starts the same, tiny and clean, but hold onto your board... Saturday afternoon a massive 10ft SW swell slams in with a period of 8 seconds. The energy rockets to 1065. That’s big, powerful, and frankly, too big for La Derecha. It’s a warning. Sunday the 9th is even bigger, with an 12ft SSW swell and 1500 energy. Monday the 10th carries that energy at 1836 with 8ft of S swell. That’s a massive, dangerous amount of water. This is expert-only territory.

The real standout window opens on Tuesday the 11th of August. The massive swell drops to a much more manageable 5ft from the SSE, with a long, clean 12-second period. The wind is light and cross-off. The energy is still a solid 565. The forecast is calling for “very good surf conditions” in the morning. That is the day to circle. Long period groundswell like that can line up beautifully at a point break, giving you long, walled-up rides. The crowd profile says “sometimes,” so you might have a few others out, but with that quality, it’s worth it. The afternoon still looks good, too, with a 5ft swell and clean cross-shore winds.

The end of the second week has a couple of other interesting days. Friday the 14th of August has a 6ft ENE swell with a short 7-second period, but the wind is glassy in the morning. That’s a tricky one – the short period means a bit of a lumpy feel, but on a point, that glassy water could save the session. The energy is decent at 491. Saturday the 15th is smaller, around 4ft, with clean cross-off winds, but it’s just a more marginal offering.

Overall, the first week is a dud. Don’t fight it. The standout by a long shot is Tuesday the 11th of August. Get out there for the morning. That long period, clean swell, and light wind are a recipe for a classic day at La Derecha.

Rusty.

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