Anse Bougainville Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get real about this next stretch. To be straight with you, the surf scene is looking pretty ordinary for the most part. We’ve got a lot of onshore wind and sloppy conditions that are going to make things tough. But there are a couple of moments where, if you’re keen and picky, you might find something half-decent. But first, the bad news.

The whole period is plagued by onshore winds from the southeast. That's the kiss of death for clean surf at Anse Bougainville. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is about 2° warmer than normal for this time of year—nothing crazy, but you'll notice it’s a touch balmy.

The first few days, from the 18th through the 20th, are just poor. Little waves, short periods, and that wind just chopping everything up. The swell energy is weak, with readings in the 400-700 range, but honestly, it won't matter because the surf is going to be a mess. You're looking at knee-to-waist high dribble with no power. It’s not worth paddling out for.

The 21st and 22nd see a pulse of slightly bigger swell, but the period is still short, and the wind remains on it. This will be lumpy, bumpy, and generally not fun. The energy gets moderate, around 1198, but the quality just isn't there. It’s the kind of surf that’ll have you fighting the current and not catching many clean ones. I’d give it a miss.

From the 23rd through the 26th, we go back to that weak, short-period stuff again. The wind is a bit stronger, in that fresh breeze range, so it will be even messier. This is a long stretch of mediocre, wind-blown conditions. If you had to pick a day, the morning of the 26th might have slightly less wind, but it’s all relative.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. The 27th and 28th start to see the swell size pick up, well over the 7ft mark. The energy is also building, hitting over 1000 and even 1394. The size is there, but the period is still short. It’s gonna be big, powerful, but incredibly messy with that onshore wind. This is more of a bumpy, closed-out beach break situation. For the average punter, this is too big and too rough. It’s not going to be a pretty sight.

The biggest push of swell comes in at the end. On the 30th and 31st of August, and then into the 1st of September, we’re looking at solid 10ft surf. This is serious size. The combined energy is strong, reading between 1639 and 2568. The problem is, the wind is still on it, and by the 31st, it's gone cross-onshore, which will just make it lumpy and difficult. This is only for experts, and even then, it's going to be a battle. The period is around 10 seconds, which isn't terrible, but with that wind and size, it will be a washing machine out there.

The only, and I mean only, potential standout in this whole run is the morning of the 30th of August. The swell is 10ft from the southeast, which is the optimum direction for the reef at Anse Bougainville (Seychelles). The period is a slightly better 10 seconds, and the wind drops to a moderate 16 mph. It’s still onshore, so "clean" is a stretch, but it's the smallest amount of wind we'll see with that kind of size. This is a day for the experienced crew only, and it'll be heavy and challenging. It’s a proper expert-only session.

After that, things start to drop off again, but the wind stays messy. The 2nd of September looks like it might be easing off, but the quality is gone. It will just be a messy drop back to average.

So, in short, there isn't one day I'd call a "must-surf." The winds are just against us for the whole period. If you’ve got to get wet, the 30th is the only day with any real power to it, but treat it with respect. Otherwise, maybe it's a good time to check the kite setup, because that wind and swell combo will be more fun for them than us on a surfboard.

Rusty.

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