The Reef (Culebra) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next 16 days for Culebra are looking pretty grim. We’ve got a long stretch of poor surf conditions ahead, so if you’re dreaming of barrels, you might want to keep the board in the car.

The only spot on the menu is The Reef (Culebra). It’s a very consistent reef break, exposed to the north, which is the optimum swell direction. But the problem is the wind and the swell quality. Water temp is sitting at 84°, which is about average for this time of year.

We kick off Friday the 24th of July with a cross-shore breeze, 4ft of weak, short-period swell from the east, and the combined energy is only 139 (weak). It’s lumpy, choppy, and just not worth it. That same story – cross-shore wind, poor surf – runs right through Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th. The swell gets a little bigger on Saturday, 5ft, energy up to 220 (moderate), but the wind is still cross, creating a messy cross-chop.

Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th see the wind swing a bit more cross-offshore, cleaning up the surface, but the swell drops right off – down to 3ft, and then 1ft by Tuesday afternoon. The energy is weak (105 and 30). It’s cleaner, but there’s nothing to ride.

Wednesday the 29th brings a spike in swell – 5ft early, with a poor 6-second period, and energy at 202 (moderate) – but it’s still cross-offshore and messy. Thursday the 30th has the biggest swell of the whole run, 6ft, with energy up to 366 (moderate), but again, it’s cross-offshore and the wave comment says “poor surf conditions.” The period is only 8 seconds, so it’s not getting any better.

From Friday the 31st of July onwards, it’s a slow decline. The swell drops from 5ft to 4ft, then to 0.3ft by Sunday the 2nd of August. The wind stays cross or cross-off, but with so little energy (5 to 162), you’re looking at flat, clean conditions. From the 2nd of August to the 8th of August, the swell is below 2ft, and the combined energy mostly under 40. It’s a washout.

The best on offer? Honestly, there’s no standout. The closest we get to a window is Thursday the 30th of July, with 6ft of east swell and some clean-ish conditions in the morning. But it’s still cross-offshore, and the quality is poor. If you’re desperate, that’s your best bet, but don’t expect much.

This is a long blank run. For a very consistent reef like The Reef, it’s unusual to see such a stretch of nothing. But forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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