Barinatxe - La Salvaje Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty here, and I've got to be straight with you. Looking at our stretch of coast at Barinatxe - La Salvaje, it's going to be a pretty quiet run in the water.

We’re going to sit through a long, frustrating stretch with barely a ripple from now, right through all of next week and into the following week. It’s not until Wednesday, August 19th, that things even try to wake up, and even then, it’s not much to write home about.

Let’s break it down. From now until Monday, August 17th, it’s basically dead. We’re talking tiny, poor surf, flat spells, and onshore breezes chopping things up. That Saturday afternoon, the 15th, a little pulse of 3ft from the NNW does bump the *combined swell energy* (126) up a notch, but the wind is cross-on and messy, so it’s a write-off. You’d be better off with a flat day than wasting fuel on that slop.

Then on Wednesday morning, August 19th, we finally see a glimmer. The early session offers a small 3ft swell out of the NW, with the *combined energy* at (107). The kicker is the light cross-offshore breeze cleaning it up. It’s only a 1/10 score, so “surfable” is the best I can say, but for an expert spot like La Salvaje, it’s the pick of a bad bunch. Expect it to be tiny and a bit weak, but at least the conditions will be clean with a little shape.

That whole second week limps along with nothing solid. The swell pushes a little higher on the 20th, hitting 4ft from the NNW and *combined energy* hitting (146), but it’s under heavy onshore wind. That’s a choppy, blown-out mess. Honestly, with that cross-on and period around 7 seconds, the setup here looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Not what you want to hear, I know.

A couple of mornings, like the 21st and 25th, offer glassy conditions, but the swell is tiny – 2ft and 2ft – and the *combined energy* is weak (130 and 54, respectively). There’s no power to work with.

So here’s the short of it: through the 16-day window, the standout is that Wednesday, August 19th, morning session at La Salvaje. It’s not epic, but it’s the only window where the wind gives us a break. Everything else is a flat, choppy, or blown-out struggle. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Keep hope – it doesn’t usually stay this barren for long, and the forecast can always change.

Rusty.

Read more