Fausse Passe Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right. Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the forecast for Fausse Passe.

We’re in for a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. The first few days are pretty weak, but there’s a massive pulse of swell coming in the second week that’ll get the blood pumping – though it’s going to be a serious handful. The water temp is sitting about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.

Kicking off on Wednesday the 12th of August, we’ve got tiny, glassy conditions. Swell is a pathetic 1ft from the SW, with a very long 19-second period. The combined energy is weak (102). It’s surfable, but you’d be stretching to call it a session. Winds are glassy, so it’s clean, but there’s just no power.

Thursday the 13th sees a slight bump, with 3ft SW swell, but the period drops to 10 seconds and the wind goes cross-on. By the afternoon, the rain arrives with a 12 mph cross-on breeze, making things choppy and messy. Not worth paddling out.

Friday the 14th is a write-off. The swell is small and junky, with a 7-second period on the afternoon session, making it short and fat. Winds are fresh and cross-shore, creating lumpy, ugly conditions. This spot is exposed, but the wind is ruining it.

Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th show a bit of promise. The swell picks up to 5-5ft from the SSW, with a decent 9-second period on Saturday and a much better 15-16 seconds on Sunday. The combined energy jumps to moderate (795) and then strong (1492). The wind is clean and cross-off, so the waves will have some shape. However, the scores are still marginal, meaning the tide or quality isn’t quite locking in. It’s clean, but not a standout.

Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th continue with similar 5-6ft SSW swell, but the wind is howling from the SE at 22-25 mph. It’s clean, but the strong breeze will make it bumpy and hard work. The energy is very strong (1590-1787), but it’s not aligning with the optimum SW direction, and the wind is just too strong for a relaxed paddle. You’d need to be on your game.

Now, here’s the big news. Wednesday the 19th of August, the swell jumps to 10ft from the SE, but the period is a short 10 seconds. The combined energy is huge (1867). The forecast says the wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. This is an advanced reef break, and 10ft with that much short-period energy is going to be a washing machine. Only for experts, and even then, it’s a gamble.

Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st of August are the real standouts. The swell pumps to 13ft from the SE, with a period of 10-11 seconds. The energy is astronomical (3578-3854). The wind is offshore from the E on Thursday morning, giving you fresh offshore and clean conditions. This is as big as it gets, but it’s only for the most experienced. The optimum direction for this break is SW, and the SE direction is a bit off, but with that much size and offshore wind, it’ll be a raw, powerful, and dangerous wave. If you’re not a solid advanced surfer, stay on the beach. This is a serious, life-threatening swell.

After that, the swell drops off quickly. Saturday the 22nd sees 7ft from the SE, but the wind turns cross-shore, creating chop. The energy drops (992). Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th are cleaner, with 6-7ft SE swell and lighter winds, but the energy is moderate (483-808). It’s surfable, but nothing special.

The last day of the forecast, Tuesday the 25th of August, is a nice little glassy session. The swell is down to 4ft from the SE, but the wind is glassy from the N, and the energy is low (223). It’ll be clean and fun for a longboard.

So, the true standout is the massive pulse from Thursday the 20th to Friday the 21st of August. It’s massive, powerful, and dangerous, but if you’re an expert, it’s the only time the forecast really lights up. The rest of the window is either tiny, windy, or too big to handle.

Rusty.

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