Tres Palmas (Rincon) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get this straight. For the next sixteen days here in the Rincon area, the surf is pretty much a total write-off. I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – this is one of those long, flat stretches where the ocean just goes to sleep. From now right through the end of the month, we’re looking at a big, fat gap with no real surf to speak of.

The first possible day with any bump in the water is Thursday afternoon, July 16th, but don’t get excited. We’re talking about a tiny 1 foot swell from the north, with a short period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy is a weak 14. That’s barely a ripple. The winds are cross-off from the NNE at 9 mph, so it’ll look clean, but there’s nothing to ride. The water temp is sitting at 84°, which is about average for this time of year.

Friday morning, July 17th, sees that same 1 foot north-northeast swell, period still only 7 seconds, and the energy drops to 12. It’s glassy with a light NNW wind at 3 mph, which is a beautiful morning for a paddle, but not for catching waves. Friday afternoon, the swell drops to 1 foot from the NNE, energy down to 9, and cross-off winds from the NE at 6 mph. Still clean, still flat.

Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th are dead flat – zeros across the board. Saturday morning is glassy, Sunday morning too, but there’s nothing to surf. The afternoons bring a risk of thunderstorms, but the swell is gone: 0.7 feet on Saturday, then a pathetic 0.3 feet on Sunday.

From Monday the 20th all the way through to Thursday the 31st, the forecast shows almost nothing but zeros for swell, or at best a tiny 0.3 or 0.7 foot blip with periods of 5 to 9 seconds and energy readings in the single digits. The wind varies from glassy to cross-off to offshore, but none of it matters when there’s no wave to shape.

The only break we’ve got to look at is Tres Palmas (Rincon). This is a heavy, advanced reef break that’s inconsistent and rarely breaks, and it’s fairly exposed to WNW swell. The optimum swell direction is from the west-northwest, but nothing even close to that is coming. The water temperature anomaly is +0.9°, so it’s right about average for the season.

Honestly, this stretch is a total bust. The surf is so small and weak that this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. But don’t lose hope – it tends not to stay this poor for long, and forecasts can change. For now, keep the board in the bag.

Rusty

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