La Palue Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cooking.

Honestly, for the next couple of weeks, it’s a real mixed bag. We're looking at a long stretch of tiny, wind-affected waves before a late pulse of real energy shows up. The water is sitting at 68°F, which is a massive 4° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s pretty unusual and feels like bathwater.

The only spot on the radar is La Palue. It’s an exposed, expert-only beach break, and it’s consistent, but for the first week and a half, it’s going to be a frustrating watch. The swell is tiny, often under 2ft, and the wind is mostly cross or cross-off from the northeast. The energy is weak, with values hanging around the 20 to 50 mark. For example, Saturday the 18th has a 1.0ft west swell with a 9-second period, but that cross-on NW wind at 6 mph is going to ruin it. Sunday morning the 19th sees a brief cleaner moment with a gentle offshore ENE breeze at 9 mph and a 2ft NNW swell, but the period is a short 6 seconds, so it’s not going to have any punch. We are looking at a week of stuff that’s just not worth paddling out for.

The real standout, the one that gets my heart pumping, is looking like Thursday the 30th of July. The morning session is shaping up to be a proper treat. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the NW with a 9-second period, and the wind is forecast to be absolutely glassy – dead calm, zero knots. That’s a rare and beautiful thing. The combined energy is a solid 380, which is moderate. The swell is a bit over 5ft, so it’s getting into the zone where it’s too much for beginners, but for the experts this spot is made for, it’s going to be a classic. It’s a real shame the wind shifts onshore in the afternoon, so get your session in early.

After that, into the first week of August, the swell stays around 5ft to 6ft, but the wind is mostly cross-off or clean from the NNE. The energy is still decent, hitting 580 on the Friday morning. It’s surfable, but it won’t have that same magic as that glassy Thursday morning. The Sunday morning of the 2nd of August has a clean offshore from the ENE at 9 mph with a 4ft NW swell, making for a much better option than the onshore mess that follows it later in the day.

So, to wrap it up: the first week and a half is a write-off. You’re waiting for that Thursday the 30th of July. That’s the day to clear your calendar. It’s the only true standout. After that, it’s a bit of a holding pattern, but still way better than the flat spell we’re in now.

Rusty.

Read more