Lighthouse (Punta San Jose) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next sixteen days at Lighthouse (Punta San Jose) are a write-off for any decent surf. We’ve got a long, dry stretch ahead with nothing that’s even close to worth paddling out for. The water is sitting at 71°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only highlight.

The whole first week, from Monday 3 August right through to Sunday 16 August, is a total bust. The swell is tiny, mostly around 2ft to 3ft, and where there is a little bump, the wind is stubbornly cross-onshore or just plain messy. You’ll see a few pulses of longer-period SSW groundswell, like around Friday 7 August with a 19-second period and combined energy of 476 (moderate), but the wind is cross-on and the whole thing is rated as poor. It’s frustrating because that long period would usually mean better shaped waves, but at this beach-and-reef setup, with the wind in the wrong direction, it’s just a waste. The energy is there, but the quality isn’t.

The only real change comes right at the tail end. Monday 17 August morning sees a spike in swell to 5ft from the WNW, with a short 8-second period and combined energy of 609 (strong). The wind is a light cross-onshore at 5 km/h, so it’s borderline. This is the best we’ll see, but it’s still only a marginal call. By Tuesday 18 August, the swell bumps up to 6ft from the WNW, with energy hitting 856 (strong), but the wind picks up to a moderate 20-25 km/h cross-onshore and cross-shore, making it choppy and poor. That 6ft is too big for beginners, and with the short period and messy wind, it’s only for the hardcore. Given the consistent blow and the beach-and-reef setup, this one looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Honestly, there’s nothing to get excited about. A sixteen-day gap like this is unusual for the area, but when it’s flat, it’s flat. Keep your gear dry and check back later – forecasts can change.

Rusty

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