Hourtin Plage Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, grab a coffee and settle in, ‘cause I’ve been staring at the charts for Hourtin-Plage and, well, it’s a mixed bag. Let’s just say the next couple of weeks are going to test your patience. The first real window of fun looks to be Tuesday morning, the 1st of September. The water is sitting at 73°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – a nice little bonus.

Tuesday morning, the 1st, is the standout. We’ve got a clean 4ft swell rolling in from the WNW with a 10-second period. The energy is moderate, with a reading of 294, and with that light NE cross-off breeze at 6 mph, it’s going to be smooth and lined up. The offshore wind is a major positive here. This is the morning to be in the water.

Heads up though, that quality doesn’t last. By Tuesday afternoon the wind swings NNW, picks up to 12 mph and goes cross-shore, turning things messy. That’s the pattern for a while. Wednesday and Thursday are small and weak, with the swell dropping to under 3ft and periods falling to 8 seconds – not worth getting wet for.

Friday morning the 4th and Saturday morning the 5th see a tiny bump in size, but the waves are just "surfable" at best, nothing to write home about. The energy picks up to 175 on Saturday morning, but it’s still small at 3ft. It’s clean, but small.

Sunday morning the 6th brings a bit of a longer period from the WNW at 11 seconds, but the swell is still only 3ft. It’s clean with an offshore E breeze at 6 mph, so if you’re desperate for a long glide, it’s an option.

Then we hit a real rough patch. From the 7th through the 10th, the wind is mainly onshore or cross-onshore from the west and northwest, and the waves are junky. There’s a slight spike in energy on the 9th (Wednesday) morning, with a glassy 3ft wave, but it’s very ordinary.

After that, the 11th of September (Friday) morning offers a tiny glassy 2ft wave, but the real action returns on the 11th afternoon with a 5ft WNW swell and a 9-second period, and a combined energy of 304. But the wind is cross-onshore from the NW again, making it messy. That same pattern – a bit of size but choppy conditions – repeats on the morning of the 12th with a 4ft swell.

The second week is a write-off for quality. The 13th has some clean but small waves, and the 14th is flat and sloppy. The 15th sees a longer period (12 seconds) but it’s from the W and onshore, so it’s going to be lumpy. The best bet in that distant period might be the morning of Wednesday the 16th, with a glassy, clean 2ft wave from the west. It’s small, but at least it’s pretty.

Honestly, if you’re not out there on Tuesday morning the 1st, you’re going to be waiting a while. The swell isn’t big enough to be a problem for anyone, but the consistent cross and onshore winds make it a grind. For the experienced crew, the bigger days on the 11th and 12th might offer some power, but the chop will be a battle. For learners and beginners, the small, clean windows on the 1st morning or the 16th morning are your best, safest bet.

It’s not going to be a classic run, but as we know, things can change fast. Keep an eye on it.

Rusty

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