La Palue Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’re looking at a fairly quiet stretch ahead for the most part. The first week or so is pretty underwhelming, with small weak swells and mostly cross-shore or onshore winds messing things up. The real standout doesn’t roll in until the second week, so patience is the name of the game.

The water temperature is sitting at 66°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – so you might get away with a thinner suit if you’re brave.

For the first week, from Friday 31 July right through to the end of the week, the surf is small and the conditions are ordinary. Swell heights barely scrape 3 ft and the wind is almost always cross or cross-on, keeping the surface lumpy. The combined wave energy is weak, sitting down around 97 (weak energy) on Friday morning and dropping off from there. Honestly, there’s nothing to get excited about here. Saturday morning on 1 August has a brief window of clean conditions with a light NNE wind, but the swell is tiny at 2 ft – not worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate.

The gap in quality surf lasts until Saturday 8 August, when we finally see a change. Saturday morning glassy conditions kick in, with a 3 ft swell from the SSW and a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 135 (moderate wave energy), and with glassy conditions, it’s surfable but very ordinary. The wind is light and variable, so it’ll be clean, but the swell is still short-period and not packing much punch.

Now, the real highlight – and I mean the only one to circle on your calendar – is Sunday 9 August. This is the standout. The morning session looks excellent: glassy conditions, a 7 ft SSW swell at 8 seconds, and combined energy of 574 (strong wave energy). That’s a solid size, and it’s going to be clean as a whistle with that glassy surface. The wind is light from the SSE, so it’s offshore. This is proper expert territory though – 7 ft is too big for beginners, and even experienced surfers will need to be on their game. The swell direction (SSW) is close to the optimum WSW for La Palue, so it should line up well. The short period means it’ll be a bit lumpy and fat on the face, but with that energy and clean conditions, it’s the best on offer by a long shot.

After that, the surf fades quickly. Sunday afternoon gets messy with cross-on wind, and Monday through Wednesday is small and choppy again. By Thursday 13 August and beyond, the swell drops to almost nothing – 1 ft or less, with combined energy down to single digits. The last week is a write-off, with tiny waves and strong winds. From 14 August onwards, the swell is essentially flat.

So, the takeaway: if you want to surf, your best bet is the morning of Sunday 9 August at La Palue. It’s the only day that offers real quality, but it’s for experts only. Otherwise, it’s a long wait for not much.

Rusty.

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