Playa Pantaleta Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the 16-day picture for Playa Pantaleta. I gotta be straight with you – this forecast is a tough one. The first few days are a write-off with messy cross-shore winds and poor surf, but there’s a tiny window of hope buried in there.

The pattern is dominated by easterly cross-shore breezes, which just won’t clean things up. The water temp is sitting around 80°F, which is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual there. The wave energy is weak for the most part, with combined energy values (41) barely registering. That changes a bit later, but the quality just isn’t there.

Let’s walk through it. Starting Wednesday the 22nd of July, it’s a no-go. The swell is small at 3 ft, period is a weak 5 seconds, and the cross-shore wind is 15 km/h. The combined energy is a paltry 41 – that’s nearly flat. The forecast calls it “poor surf conditions,” and I’m not arguing. Thursday the 23rd through Saturday the 25th is a bit more of the same: swell bumps up to 4 ft, period gets to 7 seconds, and energy climbs into the 100-200 range, but the wind is still cross-shore and we’ve got risk of thunderstorms. Still messy.

Now, here’s the standout – and it’s a small one. Sunday morning the 26th of July. We get a brief moment of glassy conditions. The wind drops to 5 km/h from the SSE, which is offshore for this spot. The swell is only 3 ft from the NE with a 7-second period, and combined energy is 75 (weak). The wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” This is the best on offer, folks. It’s not going to be epic, but it’ll be clean. If you’re desperate for a paddle, this is your window. The break is a beach and reef setup, fairly consistent, and it can get crowded sometimes, so expect some company. With the offshore wind, the waves will be clean.

After that, Monday the 27th of July repeats the same glassy morning trick – 3 ft, 6-second period, SSE 5 km/h offshore. Again, small, but clean. The crowd factor is the same.

Then it’s back to the grind. From Tuesday the 28th of July through to Thursday the 6th of August, the easterly cross-shore winds return, and the swell is mostly in the 3 ft to 4 ft range. The energy picks up a bit around the 30th of July (345) and the 4th of August (251), but it’s always “poor surf conditions” due to the wind. The swell period stays short, mostly 6 to 8 seconds, so the waves will be weak and choppy. For a beach and reef setup like this, the cross-shore wind just ruins the shape. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing during those periods.

So, to wrap it up: the best bet is the Sunday the 26th of July morning, with a smaller, cleaner option on Monday the 27th of July morning. After that, there’s a long gap of poor conditions all the way through to the 6th of August. It’s a bleak run, but that’s the way it’s shaping up.

Rusty.

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