Anse Bougainville Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break it down, Rusty style.

Honestly, for the next 16 days, we are looking at a proper grind. The swell is there, but the wind is just relentless. Cross-on, onshore, blowing 12 to 19 mph for most of the period. It’s making a mess of everything. The first few days are a write-off – Thursday July 9th through to Sunday the 19th is just a long stretch of poor surf conditions. The waves are mostly 4 ft to 7 ft (moderate combined swell energy, values like 491 to 793), but the wind is always on it. The only break on offer is Anse Bougainville, a consistent intermediate reef. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual.

The periods are short, mostly 8 to 10 seconds, so it’s windswell, not groundswell. That means the waves are gonna be choppy, weak, and hard to ride. The swell is coming from the SSE and SE, which is not the optimum direction for this spot (it wants SE, and we get that sometimes, but the wind is the problem). For a beginner, the 5 ft to 7 ft days are pushing it, but the wind is the real killer. Honestly, this setup with the strong onshore wind and medium-sized beach/reef looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

There is a glimmer, but it’s a long way off. On Wednesday July 22nd afternoon, we see a spike in energy with a combined swell energy of 1025 (strong), and the swell direction shifts to S with a 11-second period. That’s a bit more groundswell juice. But the wind is still a fresh 19 mph cross-on. The next day, Thursday July 23rd, the morning shows a 8 ft swell from the SSE, 10-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 2006 (very strong). That’s a lot of power. But again, 19 mph onshore wind. Then on Friday July 24th morning, we get a 8 ft swell from the SSE with a 12-second period, and the energy is 2176 (very strong). This is the stand-out, but it’s two weeks away. The swell is big enough that only experts will be out there, and the wind will make it a battle. It’s promising but less certain this far out.

So, the best on offer? It’s the end of the run. Friday July 24th at Anse Bougainville. The swell is 8 ft from the SSE, a 12-second period, with very strong energy (2176). The caveat is the 19 mph onshore wind. It’s going to be lumpy, powerful, and for the experienced crew only. If that wind lays down, it could be a session, but based on what I see, you’re gonna have to work for it.

Rusty.

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