Etang-Sale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the 16-day picture for the reef at Etang-Sale. This spot is an exposed, advanced-level reef break that needs a good SSW swell to fire, and it looks like we’ve got a serious run of groundswell coming in. The water is sitting at 76°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – a nice little bonus.

We kick off Saturday the 5th, but it’s a bit of a slow start. The morning has some small, weak 6ft swell (1241 energy) with a cross-on breeze, so it’s not really worth the paddle. The afternoon gets glassy, and that swell drops to 5ft (939 energy) and feels like a tease. Sunday the 6th is even smaller. So, the first two days are a write-off for a proper session.

The real story starts to build on Monday the 7th. The morning shows a jump to 8ft SSW groundswell (2287 energy) with a clean cross-off wind, but it’s still a bit raw. The afternoon is where it gets interesting: 8ft SSW (3341 energy) with a moderate offshore breeze. That’s a solid, powerful wave for experienced surfers.

But the standout is Tuesday the 8th. The morning is already pumping at 8ft with a 16-second period and a fresh offshore wind (5065 energy). The afternoon is the big one – 12ft SSW (9608 energy) and a strong offshore breeze. The energy is huge, the wind is perfect, and the direction is right in the zone. This is the best on offer, but heads up: at 12ft, this is strictly for experts only. The period is a meaty 15 seconds, meaning it’s a proper groundswell that will hold up well on the reef.

Wednesday the 9th keeps the energy high with 15ft SSW (11441 energy) in the morning and a fresh offshore. That’s massive, borderline crazy, but it’s still clean. The afternoon backs off slightly to 13ft, still with a 17-second period and fresh offshore. Again, only for the very brave.

Thursday the 10th is a bit more manageable. The morning sees 7ft SSE (4100 energy) with a gentle offshore, and the afternoon is the same. That’s still a big, clean wave for a skilled surfer.

From Friday the 11th, it starts to drop. The swell fades to 5ft, the wind turns cross-on by the afternoon, and the energy is low. Saturday the 12th is even smaller at 4ft, and the wind goes onshore. There’s a gap of poor conditions here.

Then we get a second pulse on Sunday the 13th. The morning is 6ft SSW (2450 energy) with a 17-second period and a light offshore – that’s a clean, long-period groundswell that will be glassy. That’s another standout, but it’s a week away, so keep an eye on it. The afternoon gets windier.

Monday the 14th through Wednesday the 16th is a mixed bag of smaller swell and fresh offshore winds, but the energy is inconsistent. By Thursday the 17th, the afternoon cleans up with 5ft SW (1078 energy) and a light cross-off.

The final notable window is Friday the 18th. The morning is glassy with 7ft SSW (1514 energy) – that’s a clean, shoulder-high wave on a reef with no wind. That’s a solid session for anyone who can handle the reef.

The 19th and 20th fade out with small, clean 4ft to 5ft waves, but nothing special.

Verdict: The absolute best is Tuesday the 8th, especially the afternoon – 12ft SSW with a strong offshore. That’s a world-class, expert-only session. The other standout is the second pulse on Sunday the 13th morning, with clean 6ft SSW and a 17-second period. Don’t waste your time on the first two days or the middle of the second week.

Rusty.

Read more