Bidart Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, let’s see what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks. I’m looking at the Bidart stretch, and I gotta be straight with you: the opening days are a total write-off. We’ve got some tiny, weak dribble from the NW, but with onshore winds and poor conditions, it’s not worth even paddling out for. The first week is a bit of a slow burn, with a few windows of opportunity, but the real standout is a bit of a wildcard later on.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Thursday, the 20th of August. The morning is looking choice. The wind is going to be glassy, and we’ll see a fresh NW groundswell come through at 4 ft. The swell period is a juicy 11 seconds, which means proper energy. The combined energy of all swells is moderate at 304. The water temp is a balmy 77°, which is a massive 6° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s seriously unusual, so you might not even need a spring suit for a dawn session. This is the best on offer in the first week, no doubt.

Then things get a bit messy again. Friday the 21st has a bit more size, with 5 ft NW swell, but the wind is onshore and the conditions are marginal. Saturday the 22nd of August morning is your next good call. The wind is clean, switching cross-offshore from the ESE, and we’ve got a solid 4 ft NW swell. The energy is moderate at 235, and it’ll be a fun, clean wave. Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th are surfable, but only just – small, glassy conditions with a 3 ft to 3 ft NW swell, but the period is short, so it’ll be a bit weak.

Now, for the proper big boy session, you’ll want to look at Thursday the 27th of August. This is the standout swell of the entire forecast. We’re looking at a thumping 8 ft WNW swell with a 9-second period. The combined energy is a massive 1184 – that’s serious power. But here’s the catch: the wind is a strong cross-shore from the SW at 19 mph, making it lumpy and messy. For Bidart, this is an expert-only zone. With that much power and size, it’s going to be a heavy, challenging wave. The conditions are marginal, but if you’ve got the skills, you could score some absolute bombs. This is for the elite crew only.

Friday the 28th of August stays big, with 5 ft to 6 ft NW swell, but the onshore wind keeps it from being clean. The best morning session of the second week is actually Saturday the 29th of August. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the ESE, and we’ve got a clean 4 ft WNW swell. The energy is a solid 232. It’s a much more manageable size than the big Thursday, and the conditions will be much better for a long session.

The final few days of August and into September are flat and small – nothing to get excited about. The setup is looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for the most part.

Stay sharp and don’t sleep on that Thursday session if you’re a charger.

Rusty.

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