Ilbaritz - Edouard VII Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be real – this outlook for the next couple of weeks is a bit of a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of mostly small, ordinary surf with a lot of onshore wind mucking things up. There’s a bit of a pulse in the second week, but you’ll have to be patient.

The only spot we’ve got to work with is Ilbaritz - Edouard VII, a reef break that’s fairly consistent but the ocean is not playing ball for a while. The water is sitting at a very warm 76°F for this time of year, about 5°F above the norm, so you can leave the big winter rubber at home.

We kick off on Wednesday, August 5th with tiny 2ft NW swell and a cross-shore wind that’s messing it up. Not worth a paddle. Thursday morning the 6th sees a little bump to 3ft from the NW with a light cross-offshore breeze, so the conditions are clean, but the wave energy is still weak (126). It’s barely surfable. Friday morning the 7th is a standout for the first week, with glassy conditions and a 2ft NW swell – it’s small, but that glass is a major positive. The wave energy is low (55), so it’s a longboarder’s special.

After that, it’s a real dry spell. From Friday afternoon the 7th right through to Saturday morning the 15th, it’s a long run of poor surf conditions with onshore wind and tiny waves. The swell is below 3ft and the wind is nearly always junk. There are a few glassy mornings on the 9th and 10th, but the swell is so small (1ft to 2ft) it’s barely a ripple. A real frustrating stretch.

The first real sign of life comes on Saturday, August 15th in the afternoon. The swell jumps to 4ft from the NW with a period of 10 seconds, and the wave energy kicks up to a moderate 304. It’s a solid groundswell, but the wind is cross-onshore which is a real shame. The swell direction from the NW is right on the money for this break, but the wind ruins it. The 2ft on the morning of the 15th is a no-go due to onshore wind.

Following that, Sunday the 16th has a 3ft NW swell but the wind is onshore again. Monday the 17th morning is glassy with a tiny 2ft NW swell – clean but small. Tuesday the 18th sees a 4ft NW swell with a light cross-onshore wind, the energy is moderate (179) but it’s still not clean.

The best of the whole outlook, and the only real standout, is Saturday afternoon, August 15th. The 4ft NW swell, despite the cross-onshore wind, is the biggest pulse we get. It’s a reef break, so it can handle the swell better than a beach, but that wind will put a chop on the face. The wave energy is solid (304) and the direction is ideal. If you’re an experienced surfer willing to work for it, that’s the window. Beginners should steer clear of that 4ft swell.

For the rest of the second week, from the 16th to the 20th, it’s more of the same: small NW swells with onshore winds. The swell on the 20th hits 4ft again but with a short period of 6 seconds and a moderate cross-onshore wind, so it’ll be lumpy and weak. Not much to write home about.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off, and the second week offers one decent but windy window on the 15th. The rest is small and messy. Don’t get your hopes up, but keep an eye on that 15th.

Rusty.

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