Ilbaritz - Bora Bora Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, listen up. Rusty here, and I've been staring at the charts for Ilbaritz - Bora Bora. Let's be straight with you: it's a bit of a rough run for the next week, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel if you're patient.

Right now, the situation is pretty grim. The water is warm, way warmer than normal for this time of year – we're talking 77°F and a massive anomaly of 7°F warmer. That's weird, but it doesn't help the waves. For the first few days, and honestly, for most of the first week, the surf is tiny and weak. The combined energy is barely registering, with values like 105 and 79, which is basically nothing. Plus, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, tearing up what little bump there is. It's a flat spell, plain and simple. We're looking at a solid 4-5 days of nothing worth paddling out for.

Things start to show a pulse on Sunday, July 27th. A new swell arrives, pushing chest to head high at 6ft from the NW, and the energy jumps to 508 – that's a solid, moderate push. The period is a clean 9 seconds, which is decent. The morning on the 27th is the best of that little burst, with a light cross-onshore wind. It's still a bit messy, but it's rideable.

Now, the real standout. The morning of Tuesday, July 28th is the one to circle. The swell holds at a solid 5ft from the NW, energy is still a punchy 416, and the period is a nice 10 seconds. But the key here is the wind: it's glassy. Dead flat, offshore wind from the NE at only 3 mph. This is your window. The waves will be clean and lined up. It's a shame it's a Tuesday, but if you can get out there, that's the best session of the entire 16-day outlook.

The following morning, Wednesday, July 29th, is also worth a mention. The swell is still 5ft from the NW, with a clean offshore wind from the East at 6 mph. It'll be a bit smaller than Tuesday, but still clean and fun. After that, the swell slowly fades away into the first week of August, with small, weak waves and annoying onshore winds returning. August 5th shows a tiny, glassy bump, but it's nothing to get excited about.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. Don't bother. The best bet by a long shot is the morning of July 28th at Ilbaritz - Bora Bora (reef). It's not a massive swell, but the glassy conditions and clean lines will make it the best on offer. The morning of the 29th is a solid backup. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or both.

Rusty, signing off.

Read more