Etang-Sale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s break it down.

We’ve got a solid run of surf building through the forecast window at Etang-Sale. It starts off a bit lumpy and messy this weekend, but hang in there. The water temp is sitting around 25°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you might feel that difference in the water.

Kicking off Saturday the 15th, we’re looking at a serious 6ft S swell but the wind is cross-on, light though. It’s got a very long 20-second period, which is a proper groundswell, but for a setup like Etang-Sale – a reef break – that long period can actually make the waves a bit too lined-up and tricky. The combined energy is high (5359). By afternoon it jumps to 8ft, still S, wind turns onshore light. It’s going to be a bit of a battle. Sunday the 16th stays big, 8ft from the SSW, 16-second period, but with cross-onshore and then cross winds, the surface won’t be clean. This first weekend is really for experienced crew only.

Monday the 17th sees the swell back down to 5ft, but by the afternoon the wind goes cross-off and clean. That’s the first real glimmer of quality. Tuesday the 18th drops a little more, 4ft, but again afternoon sessions have light cross-off wind and clean conditions – small but rideable.

Now, the true standout window opens up from Thursday the 21st. By the morning we’ve got 4ft from the SW, period 14 seconds, and a clean offshore wind from the SE at 15 mph. The energy is building (695). This pattern locks in through Friday the 22nd with 6ft, same direction, same offshore wind, energy climbing over 1300. It’s excellent quality for experienced surfers. That’s where you want to be.

But the real big show? That’s Sunday the 23rd of August. Swell jumps to 13ft from the SSW, huge energy (8611). Only for experts – that’s big, powerful reef surf. The wind is onshore and cross-onshore that day, so it will be lumpy and challenging. Monday the 24th stays big at 10ft but goes clean with offshore wind – that could be the best combination of size and shape for the experienced.

And then, a week later, Thursday the 27th of August looks like the absolute peak. 13ft from the SSW, 17-second period, energy at 8730, light offshore wind – clean and powerful. That is a day for expert surfers only, but it’s the kind of session you’d drive a long way for. The run continues big into the weekend.

Etang-Sale is consistent and exposed, but it’s a reef, and when the swell gets above 8ft it’s definitely not for beginners. The best bet for the average experienced surfer is the window from Thursday 22nd through that weekend, where you get overhead waves with clean offshore winds. For the thrill-seekers, the 27th is the one to circle on the calendar – but keep an eye on the forecasts as we get closer.

Rusty.

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