La Derecha del Cartel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me tell you what’s happening for the next couple of weeks. You’re looking at La Derecha del Cartel, and honestly, it’s a bit of a slow burn. We’ve got a solid 16-day window, but the first week is pretty much a write-off. From July 27th right through to August 3rd, the swell is tiny, mostly between 0.7ft and 2ft, with weak energy levels (11 to 51). The wind is often glassy or offshore, which is a tease, but there’s just no power behind it. It’s a lot of small, clean waves that won’t get you out of first gear. You’ll be waiting for a proper set that never comes. That’s a solid 8-day gap of nothing worth paddling for.

Things start to stir on the 4th of August. The morning shows a 3ft swell from the NE with a short period of 6 seconds. The combined energy is still weak (97), but it’s glassy and the wind is calm. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The real turning point comes on the morning of Wednesday, August 6th. That’s the standout. You’ll see a 4ft NE swell, period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 235 – that’s moderate energy, finally. The wind is glassy, WNW at just 3 mph. This is the first morning where it all comes together: clean, glassy conditions, and a proper little push of swell. This is your best bet early on.

Then, the real gem arrives Monday, August 10th, and into Tuesday, August 11th. Monday morning, the swell hits 5ft from the NE, period 7 seconds, energy surging to 240. The wind is offshore from the SE at 6 mph, keeping it clean. That’s good. By Monday afternoon, it’s 5ft, still offshore, energy at 297. Tuesday morning, it jumps to 6ft from the NE, period 8 seconds, and the energy is strong at 427. Winds are glassy from the SSE. Tuesday afternoon is even bigger at 6ft, energy 458, with clean cross-offshore wind. This is the best of the run. These days are the highlight. The swell is solid, with moderate energy, and the wind is working for you. However, keep in mind that at 5ft to 6ft, it’s getting too big for beginners, and it’s a reef break here, so you need to know what you’re doing. It’s a fairly consistent spot, but crowds are often around, so expect company.

The water temperature is 74°F, and the anomaly is +0.9°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year. Nothing to worry about there.

For the later part of the second week, the 9th of August shows a 2ft WNW groundswell (period 12 seconds) with clean conditions, but energy is low to moderate (105-118). It’s not a standout, but it’s a nice, clean, small wave for a longboard. The real power is all on the 10th and 11th. Remember, that long-range call on the 10th and 11th is promising but not as nailed on as the near-term stuff.

So, bottom line: the first week is a total dud. The standout is the swell on Monday, August 10th and Tuesday, August 11th. The 6th of August is also a good, clean start to the action. Don’t get your hopes up until then.

Rusty

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