Vagabundo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Okay, so here’s the rundown for Vagabundo. For the first week or so, it’s a no-go. Swell is small, period is short, and the wind is just ruining any chance of a decent wave. The 16th and 17th are particularly bad, with bumpy, onshore slop and increasing wind. The energy is weak (99 to 127) and it just looks like a total write-off. Don't even bother paddling out; you'll just be fighting a losing battle.

The middle part of the week sees the swell start to fill in, but it’s still junky, short-period stuff. By the 18th, we have some head-high waves, but the onshore wind is still messing it up. The energy picks up into the moderate range (847) but the quality is still rated poor. It's a classic case of "all that energy and nowhere to go." This is where we get that bigger, wind-blown slop. The 19th and 20th start to back off, but the wind just switches to a cross-onshore direction, keeping the surf poor to fair at best. The energy drops back down as the swell fades.

Then comes the 21st and 22nd. The swell bottoms out, but the period starts to climb into the 12-13 second range. It’s not the biggest, but that longer period means some actual shape. The 22nd afternoon at least gets a "marginal" rating, but it’s the 23rd morning that’s the gem. The wind goes glassy, and although the swell is only around the 0.7m mark, it’s got some decent push for its size with that 17-second period. It’s not going to be big, but it will be clean. The energy is moderate (428), but the quality is finally there.

After that, it’s another dry spell. The 24th and 25th bring smaller, long-period waves, but they are undermined by wind and less than ideal conditions. It’s a grind, waiting for something to happen. The water is still average, not too cold, not too warm.

But then, hold onto your board, the 29th is the one to circle. The swell fills in again, but this time it’s different. We see the swell height jump to 1.5m - 1.7m, and the period is a very long 14-15 seconds. That’s serious groundswell. The energy readings are off the charts (1286) compared to the previous week. The downside is that the wind is still cross-onshore, which will put a bit of chop on top. But for a northwest groundswell, Vagabundo is exposed to that direction, and this is where it will show its true colors. This is your standout. A slightly smaller, but still very solid pulse follows on the 30th, but the wind picks up again, so the 29th morning is your best bet.

The days after that slowly fade back into the small, weak, junky conditions we started with. The energy drops way off and there’s just no power in the water. The best advice is to wait for that end-of-month pulse and get after it. It won't be perfect, but it's a hell of a lot better than anything else on offer. This promises to be the best surf of the period, just don't expect perfection. Give it a crack and be rewarded. As always, check the conditions before you paddle out.

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