Etretat Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, folks, Rusty here with a look at the local stretch. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead. We’ve got a real dry spell on our hands before anything worth paddling out for shows up.

For the next week and a half, from Tuesday the 11th to Monday the 24th of August, it’s basically a write-off. The swell is tiny, the wind is all wrong, and the scores are flat. You’ll see some mornings with a clean little breeze, like Thursday the 13th with a gentle offshore, but the swell is barely a ripple at 1.0ft from the west. It’s just not enough to push a wave. The energy is pathetic (14), so you’re better off keeping the board in the car.

The one bright spot in the whole 16-day outlook comes on Saturday the 22nd of August. Finally, some proper energy arrives. The morning sees the swell jump to a solid 7ft from the west with moderate energy (356) and a clean cross-offshore breeze. That’s a proper winter groundswell in August, with a 7-second period. By the afternoon, it builds even more to 8ft from the west, with energy pumping at 619. That’s serious power.

Now, this is a reef break (Etretat), so a long-period groundswell like this can get a bit too straight and dumpy on a beach, but a reef setup should handle it. The wind stays clean, cross-offshore in the afternoon. That said, 8ft is big and powerful. This is for experienced surfers only – beginners, stay well clear. It’s also a spot that can get crowded, so expect company if you’re out there.

That Saturday the 22nd is the standout, but it’s a long way off. The rest of the window is dead. We’ve got a 10-day gap from the 11th to the 22nd with absolutely nothing to recommend.

Water temps are about average for the time of year, so no wetsuit surprises there.

Bottom line: grit your teeth through the flat spell. The 22nd of August has the goods, but only if you’ve got the skill to handle it. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because things can change.

Rusty.

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