LHermitage Left Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We’ve got a real quiet stretch ahead for the most part. The only spot on the radar is L’Hermitage Left, and it’s a bit of a tease.

For the first week and a half, there’s just not enough push to get excited about. Starting Tuesday morning the 18th, we’ve got a tiny 1ft of northeast swell, but the period is a weak 6 seconds and the combined energy is a measly 13. The water’s sitting at 77°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only interesting thing. The wind is light and cross-offshore, so the surface is clean, but with waves that small and weak, it’s a non-starter. That theme continues right through until the 28th of August – day after day of tiny swell, mostly glassy conditions, but combined energy rarely breaking past 50. There are patches of flat days too, like the 23rd and 26th, where there’s nothing at all.

Right, the first real glimmer comes on the 29th of August, Saturday morning. We start to see a little bump in the swell. Still only 2ft from the northeast, but the period stretches to a nice 10 seconds, and the combined energy climbs to 52. The wind is glassy from the southwest. It’s still small, but it’s clean. The afternoon of the 29th gets a tiny bit better: 2ft, still 10 seconds, and energy up to 87. The wind turns light and glassy again. The best of the whole run looks like Sunday the 30th of August. Morning and afternoon both show 2ft of northeast swell, with a period of 11 seconds, and the combined energy hits 71 and 92. The wind is dead calm, glassy conditions. The period is getting into that longer groundswell territory, which is good for this reef setup, giving it shape and length. The waves will be clean and well-formed, but still only about knee to waist high at best.

The 31st of August and into September, the swell tries to build a touch more, hitting 3ft on the 31st afternoon with energy at 140, but the wind turns cross-shore, and it’s marked as “poor surf conditions.” The same happens on the 1st of September – a little more size but the wind is just not right.

The standout: The absolute best on offer is Sunday, the 30th of August. The morning and afternoon at L’Hermitage Left (Réunion) have that glassy, calm wind, with a clean 2ft northeast swell and a nice 11-second period. It’s the only window where the stars align. The combined energy (71–92) is still moderate, but it’s the most consistent and cleanest of the whole forecast. Crowds are “sometimes” here, so you might have a few others out, but on a day this small, it’ll be worth it for the clean lines.

This is a reef break, and it’s inconsistent, so you need some patience. The swell direction is from the northeast, which is the optimum direction for this spot. The water is a touch warmer than normal, but that’s just a bonus.

Bottom line: It’s a long wait for very small, clean surf. If you’re a beginner, the 2ft is fine, but you’ll want to be on a longboard. For anyone else, it’s a session just to get wet and enjoy the glassy conditions. Don’t expect anything over waist high. The big blank run from the 18th to the 28th is a real bummer, but forecasts can change.

Rusty.

Read more