Ilbaritz - Bora Bora Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let's talk waves. This stretch ahead is a bit of a slow-burner, so don't go rushing out for a paddle just yet. We've got some quality on the horizon, but you gotta be patient.

Looking at the whole period, the first few days are pretty flat and messy. Honestly, Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th are write-offs for any decent surf. There’s just no push to the swell and the wind isn't helping.

We start to see a pulse of life on Wednesday the 9th, with some NW swell filling in at around 5.9ft. The energy is moderate (552), which is promising, but it’s looking pretty cross and junky. Not the best conditions to be out there hunting. The sets will be there, but it'll take a bit of work to find a clean one.

Then, we get a little tease on Thursday morning the 10th. The wind drops to nothing and it goes totally glassy, with the swell still holding around 4.3ft from the NW. That’s a proper window for a dawn session. Clean lines, no wind, just you and the ocean. It could be worth a look if you're keen. Short-lived, though. The afternoon gets blown out again.

Friday and Saturday the 11th and 12th are small and weak. Not worth the energy.

Now, brace yourselves for Sunday the 13th. This is where things get interesting. We’ve got a solid NW groundswell rolling in at 5.2ft with a long period of 13 seconds, and the early morning is looking glassy with a light W wind. The combined energy jumps to 814, which is a big step up. This is a proper groundswell for the reef at Ilbaritz - Bora Bora, with that NW direction matching its optimum. This is one of the standout windows for the whole period. Get in the water early, because the wind swings cross-on later in the day.

Monday the 14th still has some decent size at 4.3ft and glassy conditions early, with the period still up at 12 seconds. Another good option for a morning paddle. The energy is back to moderate (442), but it'll still be fun.

The middle of the second week, Tuesday the 15th, pulls back significantly. It's just small and weak.

Wednesday the 16th brings a small, clean window with the swell at 3.3ft and a long-ish 11-second period. But the afternoon sees a bump in size to 5.2ft, though things get a bit more crossed up.

Thursday the 17th is another highlight a week and a half out. We've got a clean 4.9ft NW swell with light offshore E winds. This is a really promising combo for some clean, hollow waves on the reef. Another one to mark in the calendar.

Friday the 18th is another flat day, so don't bother.

Alright, the big one. Saturday the 19th of September. This is the standout of the entire outlook. The forecast is for a clean 5.9ft NW swell with a long 13-second period, light offshore E winds, and a strong combined energy of 1021. That's a lot of juice. Direction is spot on, wind is perfect, and the size is starting to get proper. This one will have some power behind it, so it moves out of beginner territory and into the realm of us more experienced folk. It's a long way out, so forecasts can shift, but as it stands, this is the session to plan for.

Sunday the 20th still has surf, but it backs off a touch. A clean cross-offshore wind on Sunday morning will keep things tidy, with a solid 3.9ft from the NW.

Then the run fades out into the start of the next week. Monday the 21st has a glassy morning again with a clean 3.9ft, but it gets messier in the afternoon. By Tuesday the 22nd, the long-period energy is gone but a junky 6.2ft swell shows up in the afternoon. With that and the wind, it’s not looking appealing for a surf.

So, if I had to call it, you're looking at two proper standouts: Sunday the 13th and Saturday the 19th. The Thursday mornings seem to be your friend for quick, clean sessions when conditions align.

One thing to note for Ilbaritz - Bora Bora: because it's a reef and the swell is coming from the west, that long-period groundswell can be a bit tricky. It might wall up and offer a racetrack instead of a dumpy barrel. Something to keep in mind when you're picking your line-up.

There are some long gaps in there where you're better off doing something else, so pick your moments.

Catch ya in the water.

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