La Barra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for La Barra. I gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. The setup is just getting hammered by cross-onshore winds and a messy northerly wind pattern, which is going to keep things choppy and blown out. The water temp is sitting at 74° on the Friday, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won't need a thick suit, but that's about the only good news.

We kick off Friday 17th July with tiny surf, just 0.7 ft, a short 8-second period, and a steady 12 mph north wind making it messy. The combined wave energy is a very weak 6. That afternoon sees a bit more size, 4 ft, but the wind stays cross and the period drops to 7 seconds. It’s still poor.

Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th are more of the same – cross-onshore winds, small to moderate swell, but all blown out. The energy is picking up, hitting 280 on Sunday morning, but the quality is just not there. Through the following week, from Monday 20th to Friday 31st July, we’ve got a solid run of swell, with heights climbing to 7 ft and even 8 ft, and the energy figures get into the moderate to strong range, peaking at 563 on the 23rd. But the wind is relentless from the north, never letting up, and the wave comments are all "poor surf conditions." This is a beach and reef setup, and with the wind howling, it’s looking more like a kite session than a surf.

The one standout, and it’s a long way off, comes on Tuesday 28th July. The morning shows a solid 10 ft swell from the north-northeast with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 1749 – that’s very strong. The wind is down to 12 mph, and the comment says "wind and tide favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break." That’s a big caveat. At 10 ft, that’s expert territory, and with the consistent cross-onshore wind still present, it could be a heavy, challenging beast. It’s the only time the score hits double digits, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.

After that, the last couple of days of July and into August 1st, we see the wind finally ease off. On the afternoon of the 31st, we get a light 6 mph east wind turning cross-offshore, with 3 ft swell and clean conditions. The wave energy is low at 152, but it’s surfable. Then on Saturday 1st August, the afternoon goes glassy with a 4 ft swell and a 6-second period. It’s ordinary, but it’s clean. That’s the best you’re going to get for a proper paddle in this window, but it’s not a standout.

So, the honest truth: there’s nothing here to get excited about for most surfers. The big swell on the 28th is the only one that has real power, but it’s for experts only, and even then, the wind isn’t doing it any favours. The rest is a write-off until the very end of the period when it goes glassy but tiny. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but don't hold your breath.

Rusty.

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