El Sardinero - Primera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at this stretch of coast for the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you—it’s a quiet spell, no two ways about it. The first real chance of anything decent is still over a week away, and even then, it’s a waiting game.

We’re at El Sardinero - Primera (Playade-Sardinero). The water’s sitting at about 72°, which is about a degree warmer than usual for this time of year. Feels nice.

The pattern is flat and frustrating. From now, Thursday 13th August, right through the weekend and into next week, it’s all small, weak, and mostly messy. We’ve got a few glassy mornings—like Monday 17th morning with that 3 ft of NNW swell at 7 seconds, and Tuesday 18th morning with 2 ft at 6 seconds—but the energy is just pathetic. The combined swell energy barely cracks three digits on the best of these days (moderate at best, around 105 on Monday afternoon). Most of the time it's under 100, which is just weak. These are not waves worth paddling out for. The wind is often cross-off or light, but the swell is too small and short-period to do anything with.

The real kicker comes in the second week. There are a couple of mornings that perk up the radar. Monday 24th August morning sees a jump: 8 ft of NW swell at 9 seconds, with cross-off wind from the west at 12 mph. That’s a chunky, powerful swell for this break. The combined energy hits 941—that is strong wave energy. The wind is clean, cross-off, but the report flags it as marginal due to tide or conditions. That size, over 8 ft, is really only for the experienced crew. Keep an eye on the tide.

Then Tuesday 25th August morning looks interesting. The swell drops back to 4 ft from the NW, still 9 seconds, but the wind goes glassy. The energy is a more manageable 294. The report calls it surfable but ordinary, so it’s not a standout session, but if you’re desperate, that’s the best glassy window in the small stuff.

Given the lack of consistency and the small, weak nature of most of the swell, don’t get your hopes up for a classic week. It’s a long flat spell for this area. The only true standout is that Monday 24th morning swell, but it’s for experts only due to the size.

Rusty.

Read more