Ilbaritz - Edouard VII Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Ilbaritz - Edouard VII. It’s a reef setup, fairly consistent, and it likes the swell from the west. The water’s sitting at 76° with a massive anomaly this time of year, much warmer than normal.

Look, I’ll be straight with you – the first couple of weeks are a tough go. We’ve got a solid two-week stretch of pretty poor conditions. The surf just isn’t there for the first week and a half. From Tuesday the 28th of July, right through to the end of the first week, everything is onshore, small, and choppy. There’s a bit of energy on the 28th – a 4ft NW swell with a 10-second period, but the cross-shore wind from the NNW at 15 km/h messes it up. The combined energy is moderate (284), but it’s just not clean. The following days are a write-off. We see a few mornings with a 1.0ft to 2ft swell and light onshore breezes, but the wave comment is all "poor surf conditions." It’s a real flat spell.

We do get a little flicker of hope on Tuesday morning, August 4th. The wind goes light and cross-offshore from the north, only 5 km/h, and the swell is 2ft from the WNW at 9 seconds. The energy is weak (75) but the wave comment says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." It’s clean, but it’s tiny. That’s the best of the first ten days, and it’s not saying much.

Then we slide into a proper gap. From the 5th of August through the 9th, again, very poor. The swell tries to pick up on the 6th (4ft, 7 seconds, 117 energy), but it’s cross-onshore and choppy. It’s a kite-surfing setup more than a paddling one.

The real standout, and the only one worth getting excited about, is Tuesday, August 11th. That morning, the swell jumps to 10ft from the WNW with a 10-second period. The combined energy skyrockets to 2049 – that’s very strong. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the NE at 5 km/h, and the wave comment says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." This is big, powerful, and clean. The afternoon picks up a bit of a cross-chop, but the morning session is the one. This is expert territory – over 8ft, so don’t take the beginners out. It’s a long period groundswell, which will suit this reef break perfectly.

The following morning, Wednesday the 12th of August, is another solid option. The swell drops to 5ft from the NW, period 9 seconds, with a combined energy of 405 (moderate). The big news is the wind: glassy. It’s a light offshore from the east at 5 km/h, making for clean, beautiful conditions. This is a great intermediate session.

Honestly, outside of the 11th and 12th of August, you’re looking at a barren run. The rest of the 16-day window is either flat or onshore slop. The 11th is the true king here – big, clean, powerful. The 12th is the more accessible, cleaner runner-up. Don’t expect much else.

Rusty.

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