Reef

right

Level 7/10

San Gallan Island

Paracas, Ica, Peru

🏝️Remote🦈Sharks🪸Sharp reef

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San Gallan Island is a remote right reef break in the Paracas National Reserve, accessible only by boat. The island is home to sea lions and seabirds, offering a true wilderness surf experience in cold Humboldt Current waters.

San Gallan Island surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today3

Poor

1.7mSW@14s

27km/h

1.7m@14s

27km/h

Wed4

Poor

2.1mSSW@15s

32km/h

2.1m@15s

32km/h

Thu5

Poor

1.7mSSW@14s

22km/h

1.7m@14s

22km/h

Fri6

Poor

1.6mSSW@14s

22km/h

1.6m@14s

22km/h

Sat7

Poor

2.2mSSW@16s

26km/h

2.2m@16s

26km/h

Sun8

Poor

2.2mSSW@15s

21km/h

2.2m@15s

21km/h

Mon9

Poor

2.1mSSW@13s

29km/h

2.1m@13s

29km/h

Tue10

Poor

1.5mSSW@13s

28km/h

1.5m@13s

28km/h

Wed11

Poor

1.5mSW@15s

25km/h

1.5m@15s

25km/h

Thu12

Poor

1.9mSW@15s

24km/h

1.9m@15s

24km/h

Choppy 5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 13 km/h · PM 36 km/h

Swell

1.7m

SW(222°)

Score: 25/25

Period

14s

Groundswell

Score: 14/25

Wind

27km/h

S(181°)

Score: 0/25

Weather

25°C

0.0mm35%

First light 5:00amSunrise 5:30amSunset 6:07pmLast light 6:37pm

Windswell

1.2m@4s

Secondary

0.7m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.7m @14s SW in window

Wind27 km/h S onshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 1:15–3:24pm · through highIdeal tide: 0.5–1.5m

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

22°

27°

26°

23°

22°

26°

27°

26°

23°

22°

25°

27°

26°

24°

22°

26°

27°

26°

24°

22°

26°

27°

26°

23°

26°

27°

26°

24°

23°

26°

27°

26°

24°

25°

27°

26°

24°

23°

25°

27°

26°

24°

25°

27°

24°

3m1.5

sec

14s

15s

14s

16s

15s

13s

15s

swell

windkm/h

13g27

13g26

37g61

36g59

37g59

19g31

21g37

35g60

38g64

39g62

13g23

7g20

30g51

30g52

29g50

12g22

9g20

30g51

29g50

31g50

16g26

24g41

30g51

29g55

28g49

10g21

12g25

26g45

27g51

26g46

21g36

26g45

34g57

34g63

26g62

22g35

25g43

31g56

31g61

28g59

17g37

20g41

28g49

30g52

28g52

17g36

19g39

26g46

29g49

29g50

tidem

1:04am0.8m

8:15am0.1m

2:18pm0.5m

7:30pm0.3m

2:00am0.8m

8:55am0.1m

3:06pm0.6m

8:40pm0.3m

2:45am0.8m

9:23am0.1m

3:52pm0.7m

9:38pm0.2m

3:36am0.7m

10:00am0.0m

4:30pm0.8m

10:30pm0.2m

4:10am0.6m

10:23am0.0m

5:07pm0.8m

4:47am0.6m

10:55am0.0m

5:48pm0.8m

5:38am0.5m

11:21am0.0m

6:22pm0.8m

1:10am0.2m

6:06am0.5m

11:50am0.1m

7:04pm0.8m

1:54am0.2m

6:45am0.4m

12:18pm0.1m

7:47pm0.8m

2:45am0.3m

7:30am0.4m

12:45pm0.2m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

1:04 am

High · 0.85m

8:15 am

Low · 0.12m

2:18 pm

High · 0.53m

7:30 pm

Low · 0.27m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Poor

Components

Swell Direction13/25

Swell Size25/25

Swell Period14/25

Wind0/25

Raw Score52/100

Adjustments

🤢 Wind History-9

🌊💨 Windswell-5

🌊 Tide-2

💨 Gusty Wind-5

⚠️ Weak Component-10

Adjusted Score21/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score21

🤢 Morning Sickness🌊💨 Windswell🌊 Too low for this tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to LIM, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.7m @14s SW in window

Wind27 km/h S onshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: SSW (202°)
Direction range: 180° - 225°
Size range: 1.2m - 2.4m
Ideal size: 1.7m - 2.1m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 16s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: NNW (337°)
Offshore range: 315° - 360°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: mid to high
Optimal range: 0.5m - 1.5m

Water temp

16°C

Wetsuit

4/3mm fullsuit

Difficulty

7/10

Crowd level

1/10

Access: Boat from Paracas. National reserve.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is San Gallan Island?

San Gallan Island is a reef break in Paracas, Ica, Peru, that mostly breaks right.

What swell works best at San Gallan Island?

San Gallan Island picks up swell from the S round to the SW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the SSW. That's a tight window, so it needs the swell direction to line up. It starts working at around 1.2m and handles up to about 2.4m, with the sweet spot around 1.7 to 2.1m. Period matters too: aim for 16s or longer, as anything under 12s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at San Gallan Island?

A NNW wind is dead offshore at San Gallan Island, and anything from the NW round to the N keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at San Gallan Island?

San Gallan Island is at its best around the mid to high tide, roughly 0.5m to 1.5m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf San Gallan Island?

The most reliable run of swell at San Gallan Island comes Apr to Sep. There's a second window in Mar and Oct too. Remote island. Boat access only.

How cold is the water at San Gallan Island?

The water at San Gallan Island averages around 16°C, so you'll want a 4/3mm fullsuit. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is San Gallan Island good for beginners?

Not really. It's rated 7/10 for difficulty and suits experienced surfers. The lineup is usually quiet (crowd 1/10). Remote island. Sea lions. Boat required.

How do I get to San Gallan Island?

The nearest airport on our list is LIM, then it's roughly a 4-hour drive. From there you need a boat to reach the break (we estimate around $200 USD, but confirm with an operator). Boat from Paracas. National reserve.

Best Season

Peak: Apr-Sep

Secondary: Mar, Oct

Remote island. Boat access only.

Getting There

Airport

LIM

Drive time

240 min

Boat required

$200

Data quality

community

🤙 Strike Specialist

The Strike Specialist in Peru is Peru Surf Trip And Soul. Get in touch with them for the best chance of scoring the best waves in Peru — and don't forget to tell 'em Barrel D sent ya.

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