La Derecha del Cartel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the first week is a write-off. We’re looking at a long stretch of tiny, weak waves and poor surf conditions from Friday the 7th of August all the way through to Thursday the 13th of August. Swell is barely a flicker, with combined energy readings staying under 100, and most days sitting at zero on the scoreboard. It’s going to be flat and frustrating. The only real glimmer in that first week is Wednesday afternoon, the 12th of August, when the wind drops to glassy calm and the swell bumps up to a mere 2ft from the NW, period 9 seconds. Energy is still low (42), but it’s surfable. If you’re desperate, you could get a few soft, clean little waves at La Derecha del Cartel, but honestly, it’s very ordinary.

The second week is where things start to pick up. From Saturday the 15th of August, we finally see a pulse of NE swell push through. Saturday morning brings 4ft swell from the NE, period 6 seconds, with a light cross-offshore breeze from the ESE keeping things clean. Energy jumps to 169 (moderate). It’s still not world-class, but it’s a proper step up from the flat spell. Saturday afternoon goes glassy with 3ft, and Sunday the 16th of August has glassy conditions in the morning with 4ft from the NE. The wind is calm, so the surface will be clean and inviting. This is the best window of the whole outlook. The NE swell direction is a good match for the optimum NW direction, so the reef should handle it well. The period is short (6 seconds), so it’ll be a bit crumbly and won’t have that deep, powerful bite, but it’s fun-size and clean.

Sunday afternoon the 16th holds 4ft with a light offshore from the SE, and Monday the 17th of August afternoon pushes 5ft from the NE, again with a clean offshore breeze. The energy levels stay moderate, between 146 and 157. It’s not going to be a day for the pros, but for a beach day with a grovelly board, it’ll be a welcome change.

After that, the swell tapers off through the middle of the week, with smaller 2ft to 3ft waves. The period gets longer on Thursday the 20th of August, with 11-second groundswell from the N and NNW, but the height drops to 1.0ft to 1ft. That’s a tease – long period but no size. The combined energy is low again (43-45). The wind stays light offshore or cross-off, so the conditions will be clean, but the waves are tiny.

The standout window is Saturday the 15th of August through to Monday the 17th of August. The reef at La Derecha del Cartel will be the spot to hit. The swell is from the NE, which is a good direction for this break, and the wind is either glassy or light offshore, so the faces will be smooth. The waves are 3ft to 5ft – perfect for intermediate surfers, not too big for beginners and not too small for a good time. The consistency is fairly consistent, so you won’t be waiting an eternity. Just keep an eye out for crowds, because this spot can get busy.

Water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a total dud. The second week brings a fun, clean NE swell pulse that’s your best bet. Get out there Saturday morning the 15th of August.

Rusty.

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