Playa de Traba Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about our local stretch, Playa de Traba. I’ve been looking at the charts and honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple of windows where it could get fun. For the most part, we’re looking at a lot of cross-shore wind and lumpy conditions, so don’t expect a classic run of days.

The water temp is sitting around 64°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We kick things off on Monday the 20th of July. The morning has some swell, but it’s messy. A 6ft swell from the NNE with a short period of 7 seconds and a combined energy of 304 (moderate) – but the wind is cross and the conditions are described as marginal. The afternoon picks up to 7ft from the same direction, period dropping to 8 seconds, and energy ramping up to 595 (moderate) – but again, cross wind and marginal. It’s not the best start.

Tuesday the 21st of July is where things get a little more interesting. The morning is the standout for the first week. We’ve got a 6ft swell from the NNE, period of 7 seconds, energy of 340 (moderate), and a clean, cross-offshore wind from the ENE at 15 km/h. The report says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the best the first week gets. The swell direction is from the NNE, which is close to the optimum NW, so it’s working. The wind is clean, and the break is consistent. It’s a beginner-friendly wave at 6ft, so it’s not too big for most. You might see a few others out there, as crowds are sometimes around.

The afternoon on Tuesday gets messy again. The swell jumps to 8ft from the NE, period 8 seconds, energy of 810 (strong), but the wind cranks up to 16 mph from the NE, cross, and it’s listed as “poor surf conditions.” That’s a no-go.

Wednesday the 22nd of July morning is a hidden gem. We get a 5ft swell from the NNE, period 7 seconds, energy of 290 (moderate), but the wind is glassy – just 3 mph from the WNW. The report says “expect good surf conditions.” This is a window of clean, glassy waves. The swell is small, but it’ll be smooth. The afternoon turns onshore, so don’t sleep in.

From Thursday the 23rd of July onward, it’s a long stretch of poor conditions. The swell drops, the wind turns cross-onshore or onshore, and the energy starts to fade. The morning of the 23rd has 4ft from the NNE, but cross-on wind and a poor score. By Friday the 24th, we’re down to 2ft and 2ft swell with weak energy (43-64). The wind is all over the place. The surf gets a bit of a pulse on the 25th with 5ft from the NNW, but it’s onshore and choppy. This pattern of poor or marginal conditions continues right through the end of July and into early August.

We get a tiny flicker of hope on Sunday the 2nd of August. The morning brings a 6ft swell from the NNE, period 6 seconds, energy of 224 (moderate), and light cross-shore wind. The report says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” It’s not a standout, but it’s the first sign of life in over a week. The afternoon is similar, but cross-on. It’s a long shot.

After that, it’s back to poor conditions. Monday the 3rd of August has 6ft to 7ft from the NNE, but with moderate cross-shore wind and lumpy chop. Tuesday the 4th of August is the same story – 7ft to 7ft, but with fresh cross-shore winds and a messy surface. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on those days.

So, to wrap it up: the best window is Tuesday the 21st of July morning and Wednesday the 22nd of July morning. The rest of the 16-day period is mostly a write-off. There’s a long gap from the 23rd of July right through to the 1st of August with no decent surf. The long-range stuff on the 2nd of August is there, but it’s marginal.

Keep an eye on the wind, and if you see a clear morning with that north-northeast swell, get out there. Otherwise, it might be time to wax the kiteboard.

Rusty.

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