Ilbaritz - Edouard VII Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at this stretch of coast.

It’s a pretty bleak run for the most part, if I’m honest. The water is sitting at 77° – that’s a whopping 7° above normal for this time of year, so it’s feeling more like a warm bath than the usual July chill. Over the next 16 days, there are very few windows where everything comes together. The first standout is a real surprise, but you’ve got to be patient.

Monday morning, July 20th is the only decent session in the first week. Ilbaritz - Edouard VII is a reef break that’s fairly consistent. The swell is a tiny 3 ft from the NNW with a short 6-second period, so the combined energy is weak (70). But the wind is light and glassy out of the WNW, which means the surface will be clean and smooth. It’s not going to be pumping, but for a glassy morning on a reef, it’s about as good as it gets around here right now. The water is much warmer than usual, so you won’t even need a thick suit. Crowds are often a problem here, so expect some company.

After that, the surf goes flat or messy. Tuesday and Wednesday see onshore and cross-onshore winds with poor conditions. The swell picks up a bit on Saturday, July 25th and Sunday, July 26th, with waves hitting 6 ft to 8 ft from the WNW, and the combined energy jumps to strong levels (337 and 661). The wind is howling onshore though, straight out of the W at 19 to 19 mph, making it a washing machine. For a reef break, that’s a write-off. Honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The next real chance doesn’t come until Tuesday, July 28th in the morning. The swell drops to 4 ft from the NW, with a 9-second period, giving moderate energy (208). The wind is light onshore from the W at 6 mph, so it’s marginal. The score is low, but it’s the best of a bad bunch.

Then there’s a gap of a few days with nothing worth paddling out for until Wednesday, July 30th morning. Another glassy morning, with a 3 ft NW swell, 9-second period, and light NNW wind. Combined energy is 166. It’s ordinary, but clean. After that, it’s back to onshore chop and poor conditions through to the end of the window.

The standout here is the Monday morning, July 20th session. It’s small, but the glassy conditions on a reef with warm water make it the only true winner. The July 30th morning is worth a look if you’re desperate, but don’t expect much.

Rusty.

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