La Palue Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let me tell you how the surf’s looking at La Palue for the next 16 days.

Honestly, it’s a rough run. The water’s a whopping 68°F with an anomaly of 6°F – that’s way warmer than usual for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick wetsuit. But the surf? It’s a struggle. The first real recommendation doesn’t even pop up until Thursday morning, July 9, and even that’s a letdown. We’ve got a weak 3 ft swell from the WNW at 10 seconds, with a combined energy of just 137 (moderate wave energy). The wind is a cross-off from the NE at 9 mph, which keeps things clean, but the waves are small and ordinary. Thursday afternoon turns worse, with a cross-shore northerly at 12 mph, dropping the swell to 3 ft and making it messy.

Friday morning, July 10, is the only real standout – and it’s a quiet one. The wind swings offshore from the east at a light 6 mph, glassy clean. The swell is still 3 ft from the WNW at 9 seconds (137 combined energy), but those offshore conditions will make it rideable and tidy. It’s not big, but with that light breeze, you’ll get some fun little waves. Friday afternoon, though, forget it – a near gale from the north at 37 mph trashes everything.

From Saturday, July 11, right through to the end of the forecast on July 24, it’s a wasteland. The swell drops to 2 ft, then 1 ft, and even 0.3 ft at times, with combined energy slumping into the double digits (weak). The wind is nearly always a cross-off or cross-onshore, often strong, and the waves are described as “poor surf conditions” across the board. The only notable change is on Thursday, July 23, when a long-period swell from the NW at 13 seconds sneaks in, with combined energy hitting 446 (strong) on Thursday afternoon. But the swell is 4 ft and coming straight onshore from the west, so it’s messy and blown out. On Friday, July 24, it pushes to 5 ft from the WNW at a short 7 seconds, with onshore winds – too big for beginners and too junky for experts.

La Palue is an exposed, expert-only spot, and it’s consistent. But with this forecast, it’s a dud. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on most days, with strong winds and choppy, onshore waves. There’s a massive gap of poor surf from July 11 to July 24. If you’re desperate, Friday morning, July 10, is your best bet – clean, small, and offshore. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a flat spell.

Rusty.

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