Ersary beach (Barra) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Ersary beach on Barra, and it’s a quiet stretch of sand that’s usually pretty consistent. The water temp is sitting at 58°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The outlook starts on Tuesday the 25th of August, and honestly, the first few days are a real struggle. Tuesday morning brings a 4ft swell from the WSW, but the wind is a cross-off at 30 km/h and the conditions are just poor. The combined wave energy is moderate (288), but it’s not doing us any favours. Tuesday afternoon is more of the same, and Wednesday the 26th is tiny – we’re looking at 2ft in the morning and 1ft in the afternoon, with offshore wind on Wednesday morning which is a nice touch, but there’s just no power behind it. The energy readings are low (43 and 32). Thursday and Friday are equally weak, with onshore winds and poor surf. Saturday the 29th stays poor, with onshore winds and a messy 4ft swell.

We finally get a little glimmer on Sunday the 30th of August. The morning shows a 2ft swell from the SW, with a light cross-off breeze from the south at 10 km/h. The combined energy is moderate (103), and the surf is clean but very ordinary. Sunday afternoon is similar, with a 2ft swell from the NNW and energy at 111. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about.

Monday the 31st is a write-off with strong onshore winds and a messy 4ft. Tuesday the 1st of September gets wild – a 6ft swell from the SW, but the wind is a strong cross-shore at 45 km/h, and the energy jumps to 441, but it’s just a washing machine. Wednesday the 2nd gets gnarly with a 10ft swell and gale-force onshore winds, energy hitting 588 in the morning and a massive 1362 in the afternoon. That’s strong wave energy, but it’s blown out.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Thursday the 3rd of September, the morning is a standout. There’s a 10ft swell from the west, with a period of 10 seconds, and the wind is offshore from the ESE at 25 km/h. The combined energy is a huge 1426, and the forecast says wind and tide are favorable. But here’s the catch – that swell is way too big for this break. It’s over 8ft, so this is really only for experts, and even then, it’s going to be a serious challenge. The afternoon is a mess again with cross-on winds.

Friday the 4th is also messy with strong onshore winds and a 7ft swell. Saturday the 5th of September has a moment of calm – the morning is glassy, with a light wind from the northwest at 5 km/h, and a 5ft swell from the SW. The energy is moderate (293), and the conditions are glassy, which is a major positive. This is the best session on offer for the whole run, but the swell is still a bit much for beginners. Sunday the 6th has a 7ft swell from the SW with a long period of 12 seconds, but the wind is a fresh cross-off at 35 km/h, and the energy is very strong (1251). It’s clean, but conditions are questionable.

The second week is a real mess. Monday the 7th is gale-force cross-onshore, Tuesday the 8th is a total write-off with a 10ft swell and a very long period of 15 seconds, and energy readings of 2452 and 4554 – that’s very strong energy, but the wind is a near gale and gale force, so it’s completely blown out. Wednesday the 9th is more of the same. There’s nothing surfable in that last week.

So, the only real standout is Saturday the 5th of September morning – glassy conditions, 5ft swell, and a clean window. But it’s a big swell for a beginner spot. The other possible highlight is Thursday the 3rd of September morning for the experienced crew only, given the size and offshore wind. Everything else is a miss. There’s a long gap of poor conditions from the 25th right through to the 30th, and then again from the 6th onward. This is a tough run for Ersary.

Rusty.

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