El Sardinero - Primera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – the outlook for the next couple of weeks is one of the quietest stretches I’ve seen in a while. It’s a proper flat spell, and there’s barely a ripple worth paddling for. The first ten days or so are a write-off, so don’t even bother checking the cam. We’re looking at a long gap of about 10 days before we might see something that’s not a complete waste of wax.

The only spot in the game is El Sardinero - Primera in Spain. It’s a sheltered spot, so it always needs a bit of magic to get going, and that magic just isn’t happening. The water is sitting at 73°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only thing worth noting.

Let’s walk through the grim details. Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th are a total bust. We’re talking knee-high dribble, if that – 0.3ft to 1.0ft from the NW with weak wind. The combined swell energy is barely a whisper (8 to 23). It’s a no-go.

Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st see a bump in height to 4ft - 5ft from the N and NNE, but the period is a shocking 6 to 7 seconds. That’s short-period wind slop, and the wind is straight onshore from the NE and ENE. The energy reads as moderate (225 to 228), but it’s messy, onshore junk. Not worth it.

Wednesday the 22nd drops back to 4ft, still onshore, with energy dropping to 99-108. By Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th, it’s tiny again: 2ft - 3ft. The morning of the 23rd and 24th actually goes glassy, which is a tease, but with only 2ft of weak, short-period swell, it’s just a flat, glassy lake. The energy is a pathetic 46 to 62.

The weekend of the 25th and 26th is still poor. Saturday the 25th has a 2ft swell with a terrible 4-second period – that’s barely a bump. A bit of clean-ish wind on the 25th but the swell has no power (22). Sunday the 26th morning improves a touch to 4ft from the NNW with a 7-second period, and the wind is clean off the W. The energy hits 114, so it’s surfable but very ordinary. It’s the best on offer, but that’s not saying much.

Monday the 27th has a morning glass-off with a 3ft swell from the NNW, but the period lengthens to 10 seconds. That’s a longer period, which suggests better shape, but the size is too small to do anything with. The energy is 169, but it’s just a tease. Tuesday the 28th sees rain showers and clean cross-off winds, but the swell is back to 3ft with a short period. Not worth it.

The run from the 29th of July through to the 2nd of August is a complete fade-out. Swells don’t get above 4ft, periods are short, and the energy is low. The only slight highlight is the morning of the 2nd of August, where we get a 1.0ft swell with a very long 11-second period from the NW. That’s a groundswell, but it’s so small it’s useless. The clean cross-off wind will just mock you.

Honestly, there’s nothing here to get excited about. The one session that’s vaguely surfable is the morning of Sunday the 26th of July. It’s the only time the swell gets over 3ft with a clean wind. Expect small, weak waves. The crowds at El Sardinero are often here, so even for these tiny waves, you won’t be alone.

If you’re desperate for a paddle, that Sunday morning is your only shot. Otherwise, save your energy. The forecast can always change, but this one looks stubborn.

Rusty.

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