Ilbaritz - Edouard VII Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s cut to the chase. For the next couple of weeks, we are looking at a pretty flat and messy run of things. The surf is going to be small, and the winds are mostly going to be against us. There’s a long stretch here where you’re better off doing something else, but there are a couple of brief windows where a grovel board might get a look-in.

The first bit of surf I can see is around Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th. It’s not much, just some knee-high dribble at Ilbaritz - Edouard VII (Pays Basque). The swell is only 2ft from the northwest with a short 9-second period, and the energy is weak (68). The good news is the morning winds are glassy, so it’ll be clean, but it’s just not got any push. You’ll be paddling for nothing. Same story on Wednesday morning, with a 2ft NW swell, but it’s even weaker (56). These are days for a longboard and a lot of patience, not for a proper surf.

After that, it drops right off. From Thursday the 13th through to the weekend, the swell fades to 1ft to 2ft, and it’s just weak and onshore. There’s really nothing to get excited about. The water is warm, though. It’s sitting at 76°, which is 5° warmer than usual for this time of year. That's a real standout, so you’ll need a thin suit at most.

The middle of the week starting Monday the 17th sees a bit more size, but it’s not good. The swell builds to 4ft and then 4ft by Tuesday, with the period shortening to a bumpy 6-8 seconds. The energy is moderate, around 107-142, but the wind is onshore and the waves are just going to be a mess. Tuesday afternoon does push up to 5ft with 200 units of energy, but with a 6-second period and cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be lumpy, closed-out slop. Not worth the paddle.

There is a little glimmer on Saturday the 16th, with a clean, glassy morning and a 3ft swell, but the period is a terrible 5 seconds. That's just not going to break with any sort of shape. It’ll be a dribble.

Now, looking further out, there’s a possibility on Thursday the 20th. The morning starts with a glassy 2ft swell, but it’s a 12-second period, so there’s a bit more push to it. The energy is moderate at 169. This could be the best clean wave of the period, but it’s still small. By the afternoon, the swell picks up to 4ft with an 11-second period and energy jumps to 315. That’s a real jump in energy, but the wind turns onshore, so it’s going to be messy. Still, it’s the most interesting day on the chart. Keep an eye on it, but don’t get your hopes up too high.

The final weekend, the 22nd and 23rd, is a write-off. Rain showers and a strong 19 mph onshore wind on Saturday afternoon will make it a complete mess. The swell is tiny anyway. It’s not happening.

So, the honest truth is that there’s no proper stand-out day in this 16-day window. The best bets are the glassy mornings around the 11th and 12th, and maybe the 20th if the wind plays ball. But everything is small and marginal. The water is warm, so you won’t freeze, but you will be frustrated. I’d say if you’ve got a foamy or a longboard, you might get some fun on the clean days, but for a proper surf, you’re out of luck. There’s a long flat spell in the middle, but these things never last forever. The forecast can change, so keep checking back.

Rusty.

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