Fausse Passe Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming up for Fausse Passe over the next couple of weeks.

We're looking at a pretty quiet picture for the next week or so. The surf is small and the wind is going to be a bit of a challenge, mostly blowing cross-offshore from the east, which keeps things clean but doesn't do much for the wave size. The water is sitting at 72°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

The first real chance to get wet is on Tuesday afternoon, the 4th of August. We've got a solid 4ft swell rolling in from the SSW, with a long period of 17 seconds giving it some proper grunt. The combined wave energy is a strong 1670, so there's plenty of power in the water. The wind is cross-off from the east at 22 mph, which will keep the faces clean, but that's a solid breeze. It's a bit of a marginal call though, so keep your expectations in check.

Wednesday morning, the 5th, looks similar but smaller, with 4ft of SSW swell and a 16-second period. The energy is still moderate at 988. But the wind is still up there at 22 mph from the ESE, making it a bit of a fight. By Wednesday afternoon, the wind kicks up to 25 mph and the swell drops to 4ft, and the conditions are just poor. Honestly, Thursday morning the 6th offers a bit of a reprieve with the wind flipping offshore at 19 mph, but the swell has dropped to just 3ft. It's clean, but tiny.

From Friday the 7th through to the middle of the following week, it's a real struggle. We're looking at a long stretch of days with waves under 2ft and energy levels that are barely registering. The wind is offshore or cross-off for much of it, but there's just not enough swell to work with. It's a flat spell, plain and simple.

Now, things start to get interesting around the 14th of August. On Friday morning, the 14th, we see a big jump to 8ft of SSW swell, with a period of 10 seconds. The energy rockets up to 2497. That's a powerful swell, but that size is getting into expert-only territory, especially on a reef. The wind is cross-off from the ESE at 19 mph. By Friday afternoon, it's even bigger, hitting 10ft, and the models are saying it's just too big for this break. The same goes for Saturday the 15th, with 13ft and 12ft swells. That's massive, raw power, with energy readings of 4494 and 3654. If you're a seasoned charger, this is the window, but for most of us, it's a "look at the ocean and be amazed" kind of day.

Sunday the 16th, we see the swell start to back off a bit, with 8ft in the morning and 4ft in the afternoon. The afternoon brings a 21-second period, which is very long-period groundswell. That kind of period can make a reef break like Fausse Passe really glassy and lined up, but it can also make it fickle, with long waits between sets.

The best bet in the whole forecast? If you're an experienced surfer, the standout is the window from Friday the 14th through to Sunday the 16th. The biggest, most powerful SW swells are on offer. The wind is consistent from the east, giving us clean, cross-off conditions. The morning of Saturday the 15th is the peak, with 13ft of SSW swell, but that's only for the hardcore. For the rest of us, the afternoon of Sunday the 16th, with 4ft and a 21-second period, might be the most manageable of the big stuff.

A final note: Fausse Passe is a consistent reef break, but it can get crowded. This is a spot that works best on a solid SW groundswell, and the wind looks good for it. If you're not confident on a big, powerful reef, give the 14th-16th a miss.

Rusty, signing off.

Read more