Ersary beach (Barra) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Ersary beach on Barra has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you, it’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there is a moment or two worth getting the wetsuit damp for.

For the first week, the pattern is pretty frustrating. We’ve got a consistent run of southwesterly swells rolling in, around 3ft to 5ft, but the wind just won’t play ball. Wednesday the 12th through Saturday the 15th is a write-off with poor surf conditions and cross-off or onshore winds. The wave energy sits between weak and moderate (262 to 384), but the wind is just too strong and messy. Even when the swell bumps up a touch, the quality is junk.

Sunday the 16th afternoon is the first little glimmer. The swell drops right back to 3ft from the WNW, but the wind goes glassy at 5 km/h. It’s not going to blow you away, but that glassy window gives you clean, rideable little waves. The combined energy is a weak 89, so it’s small, but sometimes a small clean wave is all you need to scrub the stink off.

Now, hold on to your board shorts for Wednesday the 19th. This is the standout. A proper pulse of groundswell arrives from the NW, pushing 13ft with a long 11-second period. The combined energy is massive at 3847 – that’s serious power. The water temperature is about 58°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. However, the notes say this is predicted to be too big for Ersary beach. That kind of size on a beginner-friendly, exposed beach break? This is expert territory only, and even then, you need to be comfortable in heavy, powerful water. The morning has a clean cross-off wind from the NE at 25 km/h, but the size will just be overwhelming for most.

After that peak, Thursday the 20th drops back to a much more manageable 5ft from the west, but the cross-onshore wind comes back in, keeping things choppy and poor.

Then there’s a long blank run. From the 21st right through most of the rest of the outlook, it’s just day after day of tiny, weak, and onshore junk. Combined energy drops to triple digits or even double digits. Not worth paddling out for.

The very last session on the board is Thursday the 27th of August. The afternoon cleans up beautifully. Look at this: 7ft of swell from the WSW with a 10-second period and glassy conditions. That’s a score. Combined energy is a solid 1040, and it’s described as excellent surf for experienced surfers. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. It’s over a week out, so nothing is set in stone, but if that holds, Thursday afternoon on the 27th is the real deal for anyone who knows what they’re doing. Just be aware it’s a consistent beach break, so expect a few other locals to have the same idea.

So to sum it up: the first week is a right-off. Sunday the 16th afternoon is a tiny, clean tickle. Wednesday the 19th is too big for comfort. But block out Thursday afternoon the 27th for Ersary if you can handle some size and want perfect, glassy conditions.

Stay salty.

Rusty.

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