Ilbaritz - Bora Bora Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's shaping up for Ilbaritz - Bora Bora over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, it's a bit of a slow start. The first few days are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We have a tiny bit of energy on the 25th and 26th, but it's just not enough to get excited about – think 1 foot of weak, short-period NW swell. The water is feeling mighty unusual though, running a full 3° warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a real talking point. You'd be better off with a snorkel than a surfboard for now.

We finally get a pulse of something that's worth getting out of bed for on Saturday morning, the 29th of August. The swell bumps up to 5 feet from the NW, and the real hero here is the wind. It's due east-northeast at just 3 mph, laying the ocean flat as glass. The combined energy is moderate at 287, and it's clean. This is your window for a forgiving, fun session. The same conditions repeat on Sunday morning, the 30th, with a similar 5 feet NW swell under glassy, offshore breezes. That’s a solid morning in the making.

The following week is a bit of a mixed bag. The mornings of the 1st, 3rd, and 4th of September all offer that magic glassy or offshore wind, with swell holding between 4 feet and 5 feet from the NW. The water is warm, the vibe is right, but these are the calm-before-the-storm kind of sessions. You’ll have the place to yourself on those early paddles, but the quality is just good, not mind-blowing.

Now, the real standout, the one you circle on the calendar, is the morning of Monday, 7th September. A proper long-period groundswell arrives, pushing 7 feet from the NW with a period of 13 seconds. That's a serious amount of energy – 1559 on the scale – and it's a wave for experienced surfers only at that size. A light cross-onshore wind from the southwest will keep it a little lumpy, but this is a powerful, deep-water reef setup. The next morning, Tuesday the 8th, is a step down in size, but still a solid 5 feet from the NW.

But the absolute best of the best, the one that has me pacing, is Wednesday morning, 9th of September. The swell is a perfect 5 feet from the WNW, but the period hits 12 seconds, giving it that long, groundswell push. The combined energy is a very strong 797, and the wind? It's a dead-flat, glassy 3 mph from the east-northeast. This is the reef at its finest – clean, lined up, and packing a punch. It’s a forecast to get excited about, though it’s a long way out, so keep your fingers crossed.

For the rest of the second week, the swell drops off and the onshore winds return, making the close-out sections a bit of a mess. That Monday the 7th and Wednesday the 9th are your target days. Don't sleep on them.

That's the picture from here. Stay stoked.
Rusty.

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