Ilbaritz - Edouard VII Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty, and here's the full rundown on what's comin' our way at Ilbaritz - Edouard VII. This is a reef break that's exposed to the west, and it's fairly consistent. The water's sittin' at 25°, which is way warmer than you'd expect for this time of year—a solid 3° anomaly above the norm. That's a proper warm spell, so you might not need the thickest rubber.

We've got a quiet start. Sunday morning, the 23rd of August, is surfable but nothing to write home about—tiny 2 ft waves from the NNW with a weak period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is a measly 54, so it's weak. The good news is the wind's light offshore from the east, so it'll be clean. By Sunday afternoon, it's even smaller at 2 ft and the wind swings cross-off, so conditions are still poor. Monday and Tuesday are pretty much a write-off with tiny, weak swell and messy wind. Wednesday the 26th cleans up a bit with offshore wind, but the swell's still only 1 ft—not enough to get excited about.

Now, Thursday morning, the 27th of August, is where things start to turn. The ocean goes glassy with a storm risk, and we get a pulse of 5 ft swell from the WNW with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 331, which is moderate. It's a solid, clean option for the intermediate crowd. But Thursday afternoon gets chopped up by a cross-onshore breeze, so make the most of the morning.

Friday the 28th of August brings a big jump: 10 ft swell from the WNW with a 12-second period, giving it some proper grunt. The combined energy is a massive 2697, so there's plenty of power. But the wind is cross-onshore in the morning, making it choppy, and by the afternoon a moderate breeze makes it even messier. At 10 ft, this is only for the experts, and the conditions are marginal. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The real standout is Saturday morning, the 29th of August. The swell drops to a more manageable 7 ft from the WNW with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is still a solid 788. The wind is glassy—light from the WNW—so it's going to be clean and lined up. This is the best on offer: a fun, powerful wave for the experienced crew. Later in the day, the wind picks up from the NNW, and it gets a bit lumpy.

Sunday the 30th of August morning is also good. We've got 5 ft swell from the NW with a 9-second period, combined energy at 367, and a light offshore breeze from the east. It's clean, and a good option for intermediates. The rest of the week into early September is a slow fade with small, weak swell and onshore winds, so not much happening.

Lookin' way out, Saturday the 5th of September morning brings a promising pulse: 5 ft from the NW with a 9-second period, combined energy at 382, and a glassy offshore breeze from the east-northeast. It's a solid option, but it's still a week and a half away, so take it with a grain of salt. Sunday the 6th of September morning is similar, with 5 ft from the NW and a 10-second period, combined energy at 432, and glassy conditions, but the afternoon gets blown out. Monday the 7th of September sees a bigger swell—8 ft from the NW with a 12-second period—but the wind is onshore, so it's a messy one.

So, to sum it up: the best window is Saturday morning, the 29th of August, with clean, glassy 7 ft waves from the WNW. Sunday morning, the 30th of August, is also a good call. Further out, keep an eye on the 5th and 6th of September mornings, but don't lock anything in yet.

Rusty out.

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