La Derecha del Cartel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a proper look at what’s shaping up for La Derecha del Cartel over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a pretty quiet run, so don’t expect any fireworks.

Right from the start, Tuesday the 18th through to Thursday the 20th, it’s tiny. We’re talking ankle-to-knee-high dribbles at best, with swell hanging around 1ft to 1ft out of the NW. The energy is barely a whisper, with combined swell energy readings sitting between 11 and 42 (weak). Mornings are glassy though, especially Wednesday and Thursday with calm conditions, but there’s just no push. It’s a frustrating stretch – you’d be better off checking the tide pools.

Friday the 21st morning shows a little bump, 2ft from the NE but with a short period of 5 seconds. The energy is still modest at 40 (weak). That’s a messy, windswell-looking wave. The wind is a light cross-off from the ENE, which keeps the surface clean, but the shape will be sloppy. That theme carries into Saturday morning (3ft NE, 5 seconds, energy 45) and Sunday morning (2ft NE, 6 seconds, energy 58). Nothing to write home about. Afternoons through this period go glassy or offshore, but the swell disappears completely, barely registering.

Then there’s a real lull. From Sunday afternoon the 24th all the way through to Wednesday morning the 27th of August, the swell drops to a pathetic 0.7ft to 1ft. The energy figures are in the single digits. A couple of glassy mornings and offshore afternoons, but it’s not surf – it’s a lake. That’s a solid 3-day gap with zero recommendations.

Now, the first hint of something with a pulse shows up on Thursday the 27th of August morning: 3ft NE, period still short at 5 seconds, energy hits 40 (weak). The wind is calm and glassy, so it’ll look clean. By Thursday afternoon, the swell builds to 3ft NE with a period of 7 seconds, energy bumps up to 94 (weak-to-moderate). The wind switches to a light offshore from the SE, so the face will be reasonably clean. This is the closest we get to a standout, but it’s still very ordinary. It’s a reef break, so the short period (under 8 seconds) won’t help with shape, and the swell direction is from the NE, while this spot’s optimum is NW. It’s mismatched. Still, it’s the best of a quiet bunch.

Friday the 28th of August morning keeps that trend – 4ft NE, 8 seconds, energy now at 142 (moderate). The wind is a light cross-off from the E. The wave height is pushing into a small but cleaner size, and the period is just touching enough to offer a bit of push. The afternoon though gets messy with a moderate breeze from the ESE spoiling things, despite the swell holding.

After that, from late on the 29th of August through to the end of the 16-day window, it fades back to nothing. Sunday the 30th offers a last gasp – 3ft NE, 8 seconds, energy 93 (weak), with glassy conditions in the afternoon but again, ordinary.

The best on offer: If you’re desperate, Thursday the 27th of August afternoon and Friday the 28th of August morning are your windows. The swell is at its biggest and the wind is either offshore or cross-off. But with the swell coming from the wrong direction (NE vs optimum NW) and the short period, don’t expect a classic reef wave. It’s more of a small, clean-ish option for a longboard or a foiler. Keep the expectations low.

Look, it’s a blank run for the most part, but that’s the way it goes here sometimes. Forecasts can change, so don’t write off the whole two weeks just yet. Stay tuned.

Rusty.

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