Ilbaritz - Bora Bora Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu at Ilbaritz - Bora Bora for the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a tease, with a long stretch of nothing to get excited about before a serious pulse of energy shows up way down the line.

We’re looking at a whole heap of days with tiny, weak surf and onshore winds crashing the party. The water is sitting at a balmy 76°, which is a massive 7° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a real standout, but it won't make the small waves any better. The combined swell energy is barely registering, often below 100 (around 40), meaning there’s just no push in the water. The first week is basically a write-off for any kind of proper session.

Thursday the 10th brings a tiny pulse of 3 ft from the NW, but it’s wrapped in onshores and the energy is still weak at 125. The wind just won’t play ball. Saturday the 12th morning actually goes glassy, with 2 ft from the WNW, which is clean but tiny – just about enough for a longboard if you're desperate. Monday the 14th sees the swell drop to a miserable 0.3 ft, and it stays flat and onshore until the end of the week.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. We’ve got a solid groundswell on the horizon. Tuesday the 22nd of July is the one to circle on the calendar. The Wednesday morning of the 22nd is the absolute standout. We’re looking at a clean, glassy 8 ft swell from the WNW, and the energy is cranking at a massive 1117 – that’s proper power. This is an expert-only wave at that size. The period is a standard 9 seconds, so it’ll have some punch but won’t be too drawn-out. With glassy conditions and that size, this reef break could be firing. The wind is forecast to come right around for the morning, which is a gift for the experienced crew.

Before that, there’s a bit of a pre-show on Monday the 21st. The afternoon brings a 6 ft swell from the WNW with energy up at 444, but it’s onshore again and messy.

So the long and short of it is: suffer through the small, onshore junk for the next week and a half. You’re looking at a solid 10-day gap of poor to unsurfable conditions. But if you’re a competent charger, the morning of Wednesday the 22nd is a serious proposition. It's still a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but right now, that’s the only real standout.

Rusty.

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