La Derecha del Cartel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – the next two and a half weeks are a tough stretch for a proper paddle session at La Derecha del Cartel. There’s a lot of flat spells and meagre scraps to sift through, so you’ll need to pick your moments carefully. The water sits at 75°F, bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We kick off Saturday morning the 12th with tiny 1ft of NW groundswell, period a short 9 seconds, and the combined energy is a weak 19 – barely a ripple. A light cross-offshore SSW breeze at 6 mph will keep it clean, but honestly, it’s pretty poor. That afternoon sees a bit more push with 3ft from the NE, 7-second period, and 122 in combined energy (moderate), but it’s a messy, ordinary vibe. Not worth rushing.

Sunday morning the 13th is glassy as glass, dead calm wind, but the swell drops to just 1ft WNW, 9-second period, energy down to 22 – poor. Sunday afternoon stays tiny at 1ft NW, still poor. Monday the 14th is more of the same: 1ft NW, glassy morning, light cross-off in the arvo, energy in the 30s. Tuesday the 15th is onshore NW wind at 6 mph and practically flat – 1ft and 0.7ft, barely measurable. Wednesday the 16th is a dead-zero day with no swell at all in the morning, then a glassy 1ft NW in the afternoon (energy 27). Still poor.

Thursday the 17th morning brings a surprise: 3ft from the NE again, 7-second period, 109 combined energy (moderate), and dead calm, glassy conditions. The word in the data says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” – it’s the best of a bad bunch so far, but far from a standout. That afternoon the wind swings ESE 12 mph offshore, but the swell collapses to 1ft NW.

Friday the 18th remains ordinary at 1-2ft NW, light breezes. Saturday the 19th is more of the same – 1ft NW, clean but weak. Sunday the 20th drops to 0.7ft from the NNW with a long 14-second period, combined energy just 26, and a light cross-shore. That long period means it’ll be straight and gutless on this point.

Now here’s the only true standout in the whole run. Tuesday the 22nd of September – morning and afternoon both offer 2ft from the NNW, but the period stretches to 14 seconds in the morning and 13 in the afternoon, and the combined energy hits 117 in the morning (moderate) and 99 in the arvo. More importantly, the wind is glassy calm (W 3 mph) both sessions. The wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” but given how flat everything else is, this is the cleanest, most lined-up window we’ve got. That 2ft with glassy conditions and a long-period groundswell will offer proper little peelers for a log or a mid-length. Tuesday is the pick.

Wednesday the 23rd holds similar 2ft NNW, again glassy in the afternoon, energy in the 80s – worthwhile but not quite as clean as Tuesday. After that, it fades again. Thursday the 24th and Friday the 25th see tiny 1-1ft NW/NNW, and from Saturday the 26th into the 27th, it’s mostly flat with 0.3-1ft and onshore winds.

Bottom line: If you’ve got to paddle, aim for Tuesday 22nd September. Glassy, long-period NNW groundswell at 2ft, combined energy 117 – that’s your cleanest, most surfable chance. Outside of that, the Thursday 17th morning offers a small bump, but it’s ordinary. The rest is a write-off. La Derecha stays inconsistent through this spell, but that Tuesday window could be a real treat if you’re patient.

Rusty

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