La Derecha del Cartel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for La Derecha del Cartel over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a pretty quiet stretch overall, with a lot of small, weak days. The water is sitting at a warm 76°, which is about a degree above the norm for this time of year, so it’s feeling nicely tropical.

We kick off Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd of August with tiny, poor surf. You’re looking at 0.7ft of weak, short-period swell from the WNW and NNW. The combined energy is a measly 8-9, so there’s just nothing to get excited about. The wind is light and offshore or glassy, which is a shame because the waves are barely there.

Monday the 24th of August sees a slight uptick. The morning brings a 2ft swell from the NNW with a period of 12 seconds, and the combined energy bumps up to a moderate 153. The wind is glassy in the morning, turning light offshore in the afternoon. It’s surfable, but still very ordinary. This is about as good as it gets for the first week, and honestly, it’s not a standout.

From Tuesday the 25th through to Thursday the 27th, it’s back to tiny, weak waves, often under 2ft, with energy barely registering. The conditions are often clean or glassy, but there’s just no power behind the swell.

Now, Friday the 28th of August gets a little more interesting. The morning swell picks up to 4ft from the NE, but the period is a short 5 seconds, so it’s going to be choppy and weak. The combined energy is 100 – just nudging into the moderate zone. The wind is light cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but the wave quality is still very ordinary.

Saturday the 29th of August is the real highlight of this entire forecast. This is your best bet. The morning brings a 4ft swell from the NE with a 7-second period, and the combined energy hits a strong 252. The afternoon holds steady at 4ft with 222 energy. The wind swings offshore from the SE at 9 mph in the afternoon, giving us gentle offshore and clean conditions. This is a reef break that’s exposed to the NW swell, and the optimum direction is NW, so this NE swell is a bit of a cross-up. Still, it’s the biggest, most energetic swell in the window, and with offshore wind, it’ll be the most fun you’ll have. Keep in mind, this spot can get crowded, so expect some company.

After that, from Sunday the 30th of August all the way through to the end of the run on Sunday the 6th of September, we’re back to a long stretch of tiny, weak surf. The swell drops back to 1ft to 3ft, with combined energy mostly under 100. The wind is often offshore or glassy, but the waves lack any real push. There are a few mornings with 3ft or 4ft swell on the 1st and 3rd of September, but the period is short and the energy is only moderate at best. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

So, the bottom line: there’s a solid gap of small, unremarkable surf for most of the period. Your one true standout is Saturday the 29th of August. If you can get out that morning or afternoon, you’ll find the best size and energy of the whole forecast, with clean, offshore conditions. The rest of the time, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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