Ilbaritz - Edouard VII Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu at Ilbaritz - Edouard VII (Ilbaritz-Edouard-V-I-I). This is a reef break, exposed to the west, and it’s a fairly consistent spot. But honest to the surf gods, the next few days look rough. The water is a balmy 77°F, which is *much* warmer than normal for this time of year – feels like a bath.

The first week is a tough slog. Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th have some swell, but the wind is a mess – onshore and howling up to 18 mph, with the combined energy jumping up to 590 by Saturday afternoon. That’s moderate wave energy, but the conditions are just poor. It’s a washout.

Sunday the 26th keeps the cross-onshore wind going, with 5ft to 6ft of swell, but it’s choppy and lumpy. The combined energy is still moderate (355). Nothing to get excited about.

Monday the 27th sees the swell dropping to 3ft with a longer period of 11 seconds, but it’s still cross-onshore. The energy is moderate (237), but it’s marginal at best. Tuesday the 28th is the first real glimpse of hope. The morning is glassy, with a clean 4ft groundswell from the NW, period of 10 seconds, and combined energy of 279. That’s the best of the early window – clean, but small. The afternoon gets a cross-shore breeze, so the morning is the one to hit.

The rest of the week into Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st is mostly small and messy. The combined energy drops below 100, which is weak, and the wind shifts back to cross-on or onshore. It’s a frustrating stretch.

Then we see a real standout. Sunday the 2nd of August. The morning brings offshore wind from the east at 6 mph, with 5ft of swell from the NW, a long period of 11 seconds, and a combined energy of 475 – that’s moderate to strong. This will be clean, well-shaped, and punchy. This is your best bet for the whole forecast. The long period means it’ll be a proper groundswell, with longer waits between sets but plenty of juice. Given it’s a reef, the long period should work well.

Monday the 3rd of August has bigger swell, 6ft in the morning, but the wind is cross-on from the WNW, which puts a bit of a chop on it. The energy is high (701), but the wind isn’t doing it any favours. It’s a promising, but less certain, option.

After that, the second week fades out. The 4th through the 8th of August are mostly small, onshore, or weak, with combined energy dropping back to the 100s and 70s. The only other flicker is Saturday the 8th, where the morning is glassy, but the swell is only 3ft with a short period of 6 seconds – weak energy (68). It’s surfable, but ordinary.

So, bottom line: The first week is a struggle. Tuesday the 28th morning is the only clean, small window. The real moment to mark in your calendar is Sunday the 2nd of August – that’s the best of the whole run. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but it’s promising.

Rusty out.

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