El Sardinero - Primera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you – this is a tough one for the Sardinero area. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for us paddle surfers. We're staring down a long, dry spell with barely a ripple worth mentioning. The first real sniff of anything surfable doesn't show up until the 8th of August, and even then it's just on the edge of being worth a look.

We've got a solid run of nothing from now through the first week of August. The swell is tiny, the period is short, and even when the wind goes glassy, like on the morning of the 31st of July, there's just no energy in the water to push a wave. The combined energy values are all in the double digits for weeks, with the highest early on being a weak 103 on the 29th of July, and that still came with "poor surf conditions". It's a real bummer, but it's one of those patches where the ocean just shuts down.

The only glimmer of hope comes in the second week, on the 8th of August. The morning sees a little bump in swell from the NW at 3 ft, with an 8-second period. The combined energy jumps to 111 (moderate), and the wind is a clean cross-offshore from the WNW at 3 mph. It's a small, clean wave for the Sardinero breaks, but it's the best we've got. The water temperature is sitting at 71°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year, so you won't need a thick wetsuit.

Looking further out, the 10th of August morning has a bit more punch with a 4 ft NW swell, a long 11-second period, and glassy conditions. The combined energy is a solid 280 (moderate). That's a promising setup, but it's over a week away, so take it with a grain of salt. The stand-out window is the morning of the 10th of August at El Sardinero - Primera. The swell is a bit bigger, the direction is NW which is the optimum for the spot, and dead glassy conditions mean it'll be as clean as it gets. It's a fairly consistent spot, so you might have a chance at a few decent ones, but expect a crowd because it's often busy.

For the rest of the time, the wind is either onshore or cross-off, but with zero swell, it doesn't matter. If you're desperate for a paddle, the 8th and 10th of August mornings are your only real shots. Otherwise, the beaches are flat and clean for a swim. It's a long wait, but forecasts can change.

Rusty.

Read more