Derecha de los Alemanes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, gather ‘round. Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this is a tough one. We’ve got 16 days on the cards, and honestly, there isn’t a single moment where the conditions line up for a decent paddle. Every single window across the entire run is flagged as “poor surf conditions,” so we’re looking at a total blank. For a spot like Derecha de los Alemanes, which is a consistent reef break, that’s a real kick in the teeth.

The whole pattern is dominated by a persistent cross-onshore wind, mostly from the north and north-northeast, blowing anywhere from 12 mph right up to a nasty 25 mph. That constant breeze is just tearing the surface up, making it choppy and lumpy. We get some moderate wave energy through the first weekend, with combined energy readings hitting 825 on Sunday afternoon, but the wind kills any chance of a clean wave. The swell direction is mostly from the NNW, which is the optimum direction for this break, but it doesn’t matter when the wind’s so wrong.

The water temp is sitting at 75°, which is a touch warmer than normal for the time of year. Not that you’ll be in the water long enough to enjoy it.

Looking at the first week, from Friday 21 August right through to Thursday 28 August, there’s a bit of size – Sunday afternoon shows 4 ft from the NNW with a very long 14-second period, and by Monday morning it’s up to 6 ft. The energy levels are solid, too. But that wind… it’s always cross-on or cross-shore, never letting the surface settle. Even the lighter breeze on Sunday morning with 6 mph is still cross-on, so you get those wind ripples spoiling it.

Into the second week, the pattern holds. The wind stays strong from the NNE, pushing 22 to 25 mph, and the swell drops off. By Wednesday 3 September, the combined energy is down to 96, and the swell height is barely 2 ft to 3 ft. The period drops to a short 6 seconds, so it’s all wind-slop. There’s nothing to get excited about, not even for the die-hards.

The bottom line: if you’re dead-set on getting wet, this setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The strong, consistent cross-shore winds and the lumpy conditions are a kiter’s dream, but for a surfer, it’s a full two-week write-off. Don’t hold your breath; forecasts can change, but for now, take the boards off the car.

Rusty.

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