Guidel Plages Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Gather 'round, surfers, and let an old salty dog like me, Rusty, give you the straight dope on what's comin' for Guidel Plages. It's a beach and reef setup, very consistent, and it's exposed to the SW, which is the sweet spot. Right now, the water's sittin' at about 65°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Alright, let's be honest with each other. The next 16 days are gonna be a real test of patience. The swell is tiny, and the wind is mostly a mess. Don't expect any kind of classic surf session for a long while. The whole dang period is a gap, with nothing but "poor surf conditions" stamped all over it. The combined wave energy is weak, rarely getting above 100 (87 is the highest we see early on, and even that's a pittance). Most of the time, it's a dribble of 0.7 ft to 2 ft of short-period slop, with periods of 6 to 10 seconds.

The first few days, from the 30th of July right through the start of August, are a write-off. A 19 mph cross-on wind from the WSW on the 30th afternoon kills any chance of a clean wave. We get a few moments of cleaner conditions—like the morning of the 31st with a light cross-off wind from the N, and the morning of the 1st of August with a light offshore from the NE—but the swell is a pathetic 1.0 ft to 2 ft. The energy is barely there (29 to 35). You'd be bobbing around more than surfing.

There's a tiny window on the morning of the 3rd of August where the wind is light and cross-shore, and the swell picks up a bit to 2 ft with a 9-second period and the energy jumps to 65. It's the best of a bad lot, but still, we're talking about knee-high waves at best. The afternoon of the 3rd, the wind howls onshore at 22 mph, and the energy struggles to 118, but it's just a blown-out mess.

The second week is a sad tale. The swell disappears completely, with heights dropping to 0.7 ft. The morning of the 10th of August is glassy, with a 2 ft swell from the SW, but the period is a short 6 seconds, and the energy is only 23. It's a lake. The 13th of August morning has a gentle offshore from the NNE, but again, the swell is a paltry 1.0 ft. The energy is just 18.

Honestly, this stretch looks far more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, given the amount of wind and the lack of any real swell. For a spot that's known for being very consistent, this is a rough run. But it tends not to stay poor for long, and the forecasts can change. For now, though, keep your stick on the car and your expectations low. There's nothing here worth paddling out for.

Rusty

Read more