Derecha de los Alemanes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – this stretch is a tough one. The whole 16-day window is a real struggle. We’ve got consistent swell, sure, but it’s coming from the north and the wind is locked in from the north and north-northeast, which puts a cross-onshore mess on everything. The water temperature is sitting at about 74°F, which is about 2°F warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s a bit toastier than normal – that’s a small comfort, I guess.

The first recommendation is at Derecha de los Alemanes (Los-Alemanes). This is a consistent reef break that’s good for beginners, and the optimum swell direction is from the NNW. The problem is, the swell is coming from the north for the entire run, and the wind is hammering it from the same quadrant. The combined wave energy sits between 135 and 307 (moderate), but the surf quality is just flat-out poor. The swell height builds from about 2 ft on Friday the 7th up to about 5 ft by the 18th and 19th, but with periods between 6 and 9 seconds, it’s a short-period, choppy mess. The wind is a fresh to moderate breeze the whole time, making it lumpy and choppy.

For the first week, from the 7th through the 14th, it’s all cross-onshore and poor. Friday afternoon the 7th has 2 ft of north swell and a 30 km/h N wind – that’s basically unridable. By the 10th and 11th, we’re looking at 4 ft to 5 ft of north swell, but the period drops to 6 seconds, and the wind is still 30 km/h. It’s just a washing machine.

The second week doesn’t offer any relief. The 18th and 19th see the biggest swell of the run, hitting 5 ft, but the period is only 8 seconds and the wind is still cross-onshore from the north at 20 km/h. The combined energy climbs to 307 (moderate), but with the wind ruining it, the surf quality is still rated as poor. It’s a shame because the size is there, but the conditions are all wrong.

There isn’t a single standout in this entire window. The best you could say is that the 20th and 21st see the wind drop to a light breeze (10 km/h), but with the swell dropping to 3 ft to 4 ft and the period at 7 to 8 seconds, it’s still cross-onshore and the wave state is described as “small wind ripples” or “fairly choppy.” It’s not worth paddling out for.

Honestly, with this persistent north wind and north swell, this setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. The beach-and-reef setup is just getting hammered. For a surfer, it’s a long stretch of nothing. We’ll have to wait for the wind to swing around or the swell direction to shift. Forecasts can change though, so don’t lose all hope.

Rusty.

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