Pescaderos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s happening at Pescaderos over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, the first few days are a bit of a write-off. The surf is small and the conditions are just not there. The water temperature is 70°, which is a solid 6° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a big deal, feels more like a summer bath than early autumn.

From Sunday the 6th through to the morning of Saturday the 12th, we’re looking at a stretch of really marginal, poor surf. Swell heights are mostly below 3 ft, period is all over the place, and the winds are mostly cross or onshore, so it’s messy and weak. The combined wave energy is in the low to moderate range (between 129 and 514), but that’s not translating to any quality. Honestly, it’s a bit of a dud run.

Now, things finally get a pulse on Saturday afternoon, September 12th. The forecast shows a jump in swell to 8 ft from the WNW, but the period is a short 7 seconds. That’s a windswell, not a groundswell, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. The wind is cross-offshore at 15 km/h, so the surface will be clean. The combined energy hits 617, which is strong. But with that short period, it’s going to be a bit of a close-out mess at a beach break. For a beginner spot, 8 ft is too big. For the experienced crew, the wind is clean, but the wave shape won’t be great. It’s a decent option, but not a standout.

Sunday the 13th sees a similar story. The afternoon brings 7 ft from the WNW with a 6-second period. Again, clean-looking conditions with cross-offshore winds, but that period is basically a ripple. The energy is high (442), but this is more of a wind-swell chop. Not the classic Pescaderos moment.

The week after that drops off again. From Monday the 14th onward, the swell fades back to 1 ft to 5 ft, the period goes long again (15-19 seconds), but the winds stay cross or cross-onshore, and the energy drops back to weak to moderate (129-289). The longer period swells in the 15-19 second range will be wrapping in some power, but with the onshore/cross component, it’s going to be bumpy. The break is fairly exposed to the swell, but the quality just isn’t there.

Honestly, the best of the bunch is that Saturday afternoon the 12th and Sunday afternoon the 13th. The wind is clean, the swell is up, but the short period means it’s not going to be a classic. For a beginner, the size on those days is a no-go. For a more experienced surfer, it’s worth a look if you’re desperate for a paddle, but don’t expect perfection.

No real standouts in the second week. It’s a poor run overall, with a short, punchy windswell window in the middle. The water is anomalously warm, which is a nice bonus.

Rusty.

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