Anglet - La Petite Madrague Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the next couple of weeks at Anglet - La Petite Madrague. I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s looking like a lean run. The first few days are pretty much a write-off, and we’re waiting a long time for anything worth paddling out for. The water is sitting at 76°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a solid 7°F above average (76°F). That’s a real standout.

The whole picture starts on Thursday the 16th with tiny, weak swell from the NW at only 2ft and a period of 4 seconds. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the combined energy is barely registering at 18. It’s a no-go. Friday and Saturday the 17th and 18th aren’t any better – we’re looking at 2ft and then just 0.7ft of swell, with more onshore wind. Saturday morning does go glassy (5 km/h from the N), but at 0.7ft and only 12 of energy, there’s nothing to ride.

This flat spell stretches all the way through to the end of the third week of July. We get a few little pulses of 2ft or 3ft from the NNW, but the period is short (6 seconds) and the wind’s on it. The energy stays low – in the teens, twenties, forties – nothing that gets the heart racing. Monday the 21st has a brief moment of clean conditions with a cross-offshore ENE breeze at 10 km/h, but the swell is still a weak 2ft at 6 seconds (48 energy). Not worth the drive.

The first real sign of life shows up on the morning of Sunday the 26th of July. We see a jump to 4ft swell from the NW, period 6 seconds, and energy up to 100 (moderate). The wind is a light cross-onshore at 10 km/h. It’s not clean, but it’s the first time the ocean shows any muscle. The afternoon pushes that to 4ft and 150 energy. Still, the wind is cross-onshore and it’s choppy – the forecast calls the conditions “poor.” It’s a step in the right direction, but the timing’s off.

Then, Monday the 27th of July morning is where it almost comes together. Swell hits 5ft from the NW at 8 seconds, with energy of 215 (moderate). The wind goes light onshore from the W at 5 km/h, and the call is “marginal surf forecast.” That’s the best we get in the whole outlook – the first trace of something rideable, but it’s still not clean. After that, it drops back fast. Tuesday the 28th is back down to 3ft and 117 energy with cross-onshore wind.

Wednesday the 29th of July morning has a moment with offshore wind from the E at 15 km/h blowing clean, and a 3ft NW swell at 8 seconds (102 energy). It’s surfable but very ordinary. The afternoon stays clean with a cross-offshore breeze, but the swell drops to 2ft. It’s a window for a longboard on a small day, but nothing to get excited about.

The forecast closes out Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st with small, short-period NW and WNW swells and onshore winds. The 31st afternoon sees a pulse to 3ft WNW swell at 10 seconds, with 199 energy – again, moderate – but it’s cross-onshore and messy. Too little, too late.

Overall, there’s no standout day here. If you’re itching for a paddle, the early morning of Monday the 27th of July is the most likely to give you a wave, but don’t expect perfection. The rest of the 16 days is a whole lot of waiting. It’s one of those stretches where the forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a tough call for this spot.

Rusty.

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