Pescaderos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right now, things are pretty quiet out at Pescaderos. We’re looking at a long stretch of small, weak surf, and honestly, there’s not a whole lot to get excited about for the next couple of weeks. The first real call comes in today, Saturday afternoon, but it’s barely a ripple.

Saturday the 12th kicks things off with a tiny 2ft southwest swell, period around 14 seconds. The energy is weak at 168, and with a light cross-offshore wind, it’ll be clean but incredibly small. You’re not going to be getting your hair wet with this one. Water temps are sitting at 72°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least the wait will be comfortable.

Sunday the 13th sees a slight bump to 4ft for the morning, but the period drops to 8 seconds, making it choppy and weak. The afternoon pushes to 7ft with a 6-second period and 12 mph cross-offshore winds. That’s a lot of mush and bump for not much payoff. Combined energy jumps to 457, but with that short period, it’s just messy.

Monday the 14th drops back down to around 4ft in the morning, period 9 seconds, with a light cross-onshore breeze. The afternoon is worse, down to 3ft and 9 seconds, with cross-shore wind. This is all pretty poor stuff. Nothing worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate.

From Tuesday the 15th through Friday the 18th, we’re in a real slump. Swells are under 3ft, periods bounce between 9 and 19 seconds, but the energy is weak to moderate at best. The winds are mostly light and cross-shore, but the waves are just too small and disorganized. The best of this stretch is Friday afternoon, when a 1ft southwest swell with a 19-second period and light cross-offshore wind makes things clean, but it’s still gutless. The combined energy sits around 199, so there’s nothing behind it.

Now, here’s where things get a little more interesting. Saturday the 19th afternoon is the standout of the whole window. The swell only reads 2ft at 18 seconds, but the energy jumps to 364, and with a gentle 9 mph cross-offshore wind, the ocean should be glassy. It’s not big, but it’s the cleanest, most lined-up swell we’ll see. Pescaderos is fairly exposed to the west-southwest, so this direction works well. It’s still small, so beginners won’t be intimidated, but if you’re looking for a fun, mellow session, this is your window. Crowds are possible, but with waves this small, most people won’t bother.

Sunday the 20th and Monday the 21st keep similar 2ft swells at 17-18 seconds, but the winds turn more cross-shore. It’s still surfable, but not as clean as Saturday. The energy holds around 320-352, so there’s some push, but the quality drops off.

From Tuesday the 22nd onward, we’re back into the doldrums. The swell stays around 2ft, periods shrink to 14-16 seconds, and the winds are mostly light and cross-shore. The combined energy stays in the low-to-mid 100s and 200s, which is weak. Every session is either poor or marginal. Even the clean moments are barely worth the paddle.

Looking further out, Tuesday the 22nd and the following days just don’t have anything. The swell direction stays out of the southwest, but the size and energy never build. We’re talking 2ft to 3ft at best, with periods around 13-15 seconds. The energy does creep up to 316 on Sunday the 27th afternoon, but that’s still a marginal call at best.

So, bottom line: this is a rough stretch. The only real highlight is Saturday the 19th afternoon, when the ocean cleans up and the swell has just enough direction to make Pescaderos fun. If you can wait for that window, you might get a few soft, lining-up ones. Otherwise, you’re going to be fighting for scraps.

Stay patient, and don’t force it. Sometimes the ocean just needs a few days off.

Rusty.

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