Ilbaritz - Edouard VII Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, I’ve had a look at what’s coming up for Ilbaritz - Edouard VII. It’s a pretty lean stretch, to be honest. The whole 16-day window is looking like a struggle, with most days showing nothing worth paddling out for. The surf is small and the wind is mostly cross-onshore, keeping things messy.

We kick off Wednesday the 29th of July with a bit of swell, but it’s a weak 3ft from the NW at a short 9 seconds. The wind is on it in the morning and cross-onshore by the afternoon, so the ocean is just a mess. The combined wave energy is a weak (141). No good.

Thursday the 30th through to Wednesday the 5th of August is a real dead zone. The swell drops right off, with heights barely reaching 2ft to 3ft, and the period is short, often 8 seconds or less. The wind is almost always cross-onshore, and the combined energy is pathetic, falling from (86) down to (17). There’s a glassy moment on the morning of Tuesday the 4th of August, but the swell is only 1ft, so it’s a flat calm, not a surfing flat.

Then we get a small reprieve. On the morning of Friday the 7th of August, we see a bit of life. The swell is 3ft from the NW at 6 seconds, and the wind goes glassy. The combined energy is still weak (64), but the conditions are described as "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions". It’s not a standout, but it’s the first real chance to get a soggy paddle in.

Saturday the 8th of August morning is our best bet for the whole outlook. The wind is calm, glassy, and the swell is 3ft from the NW with a 7-second period. The combined energy ticks up to (97), close to that moderate mark. The waves will be small and clean, but it’s the best we’ve got. It’s a rooky-friendly size, so beginners can have a go, but don’t expect any real power.

After that, we’re back to the doldrums. The rest of the window is a mix of poor surf and cross-onshore winds, with the occasional glassy morning on the 12th and 13th of August. The morning of Thursday the 13th of August offers a slightly bigger 4ft swell from the WNW at 9 seconds, with glassy wind and a combined energy of (190). That’s the closest to moderate energy we get, but it’s still a long way off. The waves will be a bit more defined, but it’s still a marginal day.

All in all, if you’re desperate for a slide, the mornings of the 7th, 8th, 12th, and 13th of August are your only real chances. The rest of the time, it’s a skunking. It’s a tough run for this reef.

Rusty.

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