La Santa - The Slab Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break down La Santa – The Slab. This is a gnarly, expert-only reef break on the west side, and it’s real picky about its swell. It needs that WNW direction to really fire, and for the first week or so, we’re just not getting it.

We’re starting off with a long dry spell. From Wednesday the 8th all the way through Tuesday the 15th, it’s pretty much flat. The swell is tiny, 0.2ft to 1ft at best, and coming from the NW or NNW, not the sweet spot. The combined energy is pathetic, usually under 100 (12–195), so there’s just no power. The wind is a cross or cross-off from the N or NNE, but with that little water moving, it doesn’t matter. The water temp is around 72°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, with a slight bump of +1.0°. That’s about eight days of nothing.

Things finally perk up on Thursday the 16th. The swell swings around to the NNE and jumps to 6ft, with the combined energy hitting 348 (moderate). But the period is a short 7 seconds, and the NNE wind is screaming at 25 mph. Even though it’s a cross-off, it’s a strong breeze and it’s gonna blow things out. Friday the 17th is the same story: 6ft–6ft of short-period NNE swell with the wind still howling at 22–25 mph. The energy is moderate (372), but the quality is poor for a proper surf.

Now, the big one. Look at Tuesday the 22nd of July. The morning shows a solid 10ft of NNE swell with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is massive at 1151 (very strong). That’s a ton of water. The wind is a fresh cross-off from the NNE at 19 mph, keeping the surface glassy. The catch? 10ft is well over 8ft, so this is expert territory only. The break is ‘consistent’ and ‘exposed’, so it’ll handle the size, but you need to know what you’re doing. This is the standout of the whole 16-day window.

Before that, Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th have some decent NNE swell too, around 7ft–7ft, with 8-second periods and clean, strong cross-off winds. The energy is strong (567–587). But those are just the warm-up acts for the 22nd.

Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st see the swell holding at 7ft–8ft, with the period stretching to 9 seconds on the 21st. The energy climbs to 991 (strong) and then 1082 (very strong). But Tuesday the 21st afternoon turns cross-shore, which will chop it up.

After the 22nd, Wednesday the 23rd drops to 8ft with the energy falling to 674. Still big, but a step down.

Honestly, for the first eight days, don’t even bother. The real show starts in the third week of July. If you’re an expert paddler and you’re not scared of a serious wave, the morning of Tuesday the 22nd is the one to circle. The waves will be powerful, clean, and big. It can get crowded here, but with that kind of size, it might keep the groms out of the water.

Rusty.

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