Playa Motones Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. I’ve looked over the charts for our region, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead. The finder isn’t lighting up with any good options, and the guidance only points to one spot worth talking about, so let’s dig into it.

The only break on the radar is Playa Motones (reef), and it’s got a consistent, exposed setup that’s usually hungry for swell from the north. But the problem is, the wind and swell direction are locked in from the east-northeast for the entire run. That’s a cross or cross-onshore mess for the whole 16-day window. The water temp is sitting at 84°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We start with a gap right now – there’s no surf on offer from the get-go. Monday the 10th kicks off with a 5ft swell from the ENE, but it’s only 6 seconds of period and a fresh 19 mph cross-shore wind. That’s lumpy, choppy, and just plain ugly. The combined energy is a weak 210, and it’s scored as poor surf. That trend sticks through Tuesday and Wednesday, with swell hovering around 4ft to 6ft, but always with that onshore/cross-shore wind and short period. We’re looking at a real blank run here.

By Thursday the 13th, the swell bumps up to 8ft by the afternoon, and the energy jumps to 562 (moderate), but the wind is still a fresh 19 mph cross-shore. That’s a messy, lumpy cross-chop that’s not going to clean up. For a reef break, you want offshore or glassy, and we’re getting the opposite.

Friday the 14th is the biggest push – 8ft swell with a slight bump in period to 8 seconds, and the energy hits 713 (strong). But the wind is a strong 25-28 mph cross-shore. That’s not surfable for a paddle board; it’s more of a kite-surfing kind of day. The setup is a beach-and-reef mix, and with that much wind and chop, it’s a no-go for us.

The weekend and into the next week doesn’t get much better. By Monday the 17th, we get a long-period groundswell arriving – 4ft to 5ft from the east with a period up to 13 seconds. The energy is strong at 655, but the wind is still cross-onshore at 12-16 mph. That long period will make the waves a bit more lined up, but the wind is going to chop it up.

The only glimmer of hope comes on Wednesday the 19th, where we see a brief moment of glassy conditions in the afternoon. The swell is 5ft from the ENE, but the period drops to just 5 seconds, and the energy is a weak 137. The guidance says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” which is about as positive as it gets. It’s not a standout, but if you’re desperate, that’s your window.

After that, the rest of the run through to the 25th is a mix of tiny swell (2ft to 5ft) with onshore winds and weak energy. The combined energy drops to as low as 49, which is just wind chop. For a reef that needs clean swell, this is a washout.

So, the honest truth? There are no standout days here. The best on offer is that glassy window on Wednesday the 19th, but it’s short-period and marginal. If you’re a beginner, anything over 5ft is too much, and the 8ft days are for experts only – but with the wind, even they’ll be sitting this out. The area is known for inconsistent runs, and this is one of those blank spells. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d say leave the board in the car and go for a swim.

Rusty.

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