Ersary beach (Barra) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s talk about Ersary beach (Barra). The water here is sitting at 59°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice little bonus.

Honestly, for the next few days, it’s pretty grim. We’ve got a moderate cross-onshore breeze blowing from the north through the weekend, and the swell is all over the place – small, short-period stuff around 2ft to 4ft, with the combined energy barely reaching 140 (weak). It’s choppy and messy, and the wave comment says it all: poor surf conditions. Not a single session worth paddling out for.

That trend of poor surf hangs around all through the next week. The wind stays mostly cross-on from the north-west, and the swell is tiny and weak. Thursday the 24th sees a bit of a jump in swell height to 7ft, but the wind is howling at 25 mph from the west-southwest, making it a total mess. The combined energy hits 685 (moderate), but with that strong cross-onshore, it’s just a washing machine. Not for surfing.

We finally get a bit of a glimmer on Saturday the 25th. The swell is up to 7ft from the west-northwest, with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy is a solid 1118 (strong). The wind is a gentle cross-onshore, so it’s fairly choppy. The wave comment calls it marginal, but it’s the best we’ve seen. Still, that’s a big swell for beginners – over 5ft – and the conditions aren’t clean. It’s a maybe for the experienced crew, but nothing to get excited about.

Then, on Monday the 27th, we get a rare moment of magic. The wind drops to nothing, going glassy, and that 5ft swell from the west with an 8-second period is clean. The combined energy is 324 (moderate). The wave comment says "expect good surf conditions." This is the standout of the entire 16-day window. It’s only a short window, and the swell is a bit strong for beginners, but for anyone with a bit of experience, Monday afternoon is the time to go. The water will be clean, the waves will have some shape.

After that, it’s right back to the poor stuff. The wind picks up again, the swell drops, and we’re left with weak, choppy conditions for the rest of the period. The last week is a write-off, with tiny swell and onshore winds.

So, to be honest, the whole 16 days is a bit of a bust. The only real chance to get a wave is that Monday afternoon the 27th, and even then, it’s a short window. If you’re a beginner, there’s nothing here for you. The rest of the time, you’re better off with the kite.

Rusty.

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