Etang-Sale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

This entire outlook is for one spot, Etang-Sale, a reef break that’s got a solid reputation for the advanced crew. The water is sitting at 76°F right now, which is about a degree and a half warmer than normal for this time of year – feels like summer has a little extra kick to it.

We’re starting off on Sunday the 19th of July. It’s not huge, with a 3ft swell from the SW, but that 16-second period is pure groundswell. The combined energy is moderate at 523. The wind is light off-shore, so the surface will be clean. For a Sunday, that’s a nice little warm-up.

Monday the 20th is where things get serious. The swell jumps to 8ft, also from the SSW, with a 14-second period. The wind goes glassy in the morning – that’s the kind of morning you set an alarm for. The energy is well into the strong range at 2514. This is excellent, but at 8ft on a reef, this is for experienced surfers only. The afternoon stays clean with off-shore breeze.

Tuesday the 21st sees the swell drop a touch to 7ft, but the wind is glassy again in the afternoon. That’s a great window. The period is still a solid 12 seconds, so plenty of push.

Wednesday the 22nd delivers a solid 7ft from the S, with a 13-second period. The morning has a gentle off-shore breeze, making it clean. The energy is strong at 1691. The afternoon wind picks up to 30 km/h, still off-shore, but it’ll be a bit wind-affected, so the morning is the call.

Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th see the size drop back to the 3ft to 5ft range, but the off-shore wind holds. Thursday has moderate energy around 765-835, but by Friday the energy climbs back into the moderate-to-strong range with a 15-second period on the SW swell. It’s still clean, but the wind is a bit fresh.

Now, here’s the standout. Look at Monday the 27th of July. Swell is 8ft from the SW, 16-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 3857. The wind is a gentle off-shore breeze. This is groundswell perfection on a reef. It’s for experts, but it’s the best-looking morning of the whole run. The Monday after that, the 3rd of August, is even bigger, with 13ft to 15ft SSW swells, but the wind gets fresh, and frankly, that’s a different ballgame.

The whole run is pretty consistent. There’s no real gap. You’ve got a few days with smaller, clean surf, and then a big pulse of energy around the 27th. The 2nd of August is another monster day, with 15ft and a 13-second period, but the wind is moderate off-shore. That’s for the brave.

The crowds at Etang-Sale can be a thing – sometimes you’ll have company. But with this much swell on offer, the lineup will spread out.

So, the best bet? Make the Monday the 27th your priority. That’s a special day. The glassy morning of the 29th of July is also a beaut for a slightly smaller but still solid session.

Rusty.

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