Ambinanibe Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next couple of weeks for us. The good news is, we’ve got some solid windows of clean surf, but there’s a bit of a wait and some punchy stuff on the horizon. The water is sitting at 73°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no wild surprises there.

The first real stand-out is Friday morning, July 31st, at Ambinanibe. We’re looking at a clean 5 ft SSW swell with a 14-second period—that’s proper groundswell, meaning good shape and energy. The wind is a light offshore from the NNW, keeping the faces glassy. The combined energy is a solid 831, which is moderate to strong, so you’ll feel the push. It’s a consistent spot, but crowds are possible, so get in early. This is the pick of the first few days.

The session holds up into Saturday morning, August 1st, with a similar 5 ft SSW swell and a light cross-offshore breeze, keeping things clean. The energy remains in the 800s. Saturday afternoon stays clean too, though the swell drops slightly to 4 ft.

Then, Sunday morning, August 2nd, is a real treat. The swell bumps up to 6 ft from the SSW with a 12-second period, and the wind goes completely glassy—zero wind. That’s as good as it gets for clean conditions. The energy is 973, which is strong. This is another standout, but it’s pushing into the 6 ft range, so it’s starting to get a bit more serious for the average punter.

After that, the surf drops off hard. From Monday, August 3rd, through to Wednesday, August 5th, we’re stuck with tiny, weak 2 ft to 3 ft swells. The energy dips into the 100–200 range, which is weak. There’s a glassy morning on the 4th, but it’s just too small to get excited about. Thursday, August 6th, is a write-off with strong onshore winds ruining the shape.

Now, look out for the second week. A big pulse is brewing. On Saturday, August 8th, the swell jumps back up to 6 ft from the SSW, but the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-offshore. The energy skyrockets to 2242—that’s very strong, heavy power. The wind keeps it clean-ish, but that’s a lot of water moving. It’s only for experienced surfers. This continues into Sunday morning, August 9th, with 6 ft and 1174 energy.

The biggest of the run comes on Tuesday, August 11th, and Wednesday, August 12th. Tuesday sees 7 ft SSW swell with 15-second periods and 1666 energy, but it’s a cross-shore wind, making it choppy. Wednesday brings 7 ft from the SSE with a short 9-second period, but the wind is cross-offshore, keeping the lines clean. The energy is 1410. That’s big, heavy, and only for experts. The shorter period means it will be a bit more crumbly at the beach, so it might be a better bet for the point or reef if you can find one.

The last couple of days into the 14th and 15th of August fade back to smaller 3 ft to 2 ft SSW swells with nice long 16-second periods, but the wind is messy, so it’s a bit of a gamble.

Bottom line: The best bets are Friday morning, July 31st, and Sunday morning, August 2nd, for clean, punchy surf. The big stuff on the 8th and 12th is for the hardcore crew only. Don’t bother with the tiny, weak days in between.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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