La Barra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for La Barra, a river/jetty setup that’s wide open to a SSW swell. Water temp is sitting at 87°F, almost 2°F warmer than what you’d usually expect at this time of year. That’s notable—means you can probably go in with just boardshorts and feel good about it.

We’ve got a slow start. The first surf worth paddling out for kicks off on Monday afternoon, July 13, but honestly it’s a bit ordinary—3ft SSW swell with a 13-second period, but the wind’s a light cross-shore and the combined wave energy is moderate at 416. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

The real standout window opens up on Tuesday morning, July 14. Glassy conditions, a clean 3ft SSW groundswell ticking along at 13 seconds, and the energy is solid at 321. The offshore is from the east at 3 mph, which is ideal for this spot. This is the pick of the early run—super clean, mellow, and the river/jetty setup will handle that long-period swell beautifully. Crowds can show up here sometimes, so get in early.

Wednesday morning, July 15, and Thursday morning, July 16, follow a similar pattern. Glassy mornings, 3ft SSW swell, with a long 16-second period on Thursday pushing the energy up to 497. Those mornings are golden for a surfer who wants smooth, lined-up waves with barely a breath of wind. Thursday afternoon gets a bit sketchy with a cross-on wind, so stick to the AM sessions.

Friday morning, July 17, is glassy again—3ft SSW at 14 seconds, energy at 393. Another beauty. Saturday morning, July 18, and Sunday morning, July 19, keep the run going: glassy, 3 to 3ft, consistent SSW energy. Monday morning, July 20, has 3ft but a longer 16-second period and energy of 483—morning glass, but the afternoon picks up a moderate cross-shore breeze that chops things up.

Then we hit a mellow stretch. From around July 22, the swell drops to 2ft and then 2ft by July 23, with lower energy (210 to 117). The mornings are still glassy, but the waves get small and a bit weak. It’s still surfable if you’ve got a longboard or a foamie, but not a standout.

Here’s where it gets interesting again: Saturday morning, July 25, is a true standout. A 3ft SSW groundswell with a very long 21-second period—that’s proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy jumps to 758. The wind is dead calm, glassy. This is the kind of morning where the river mouth lines up beautifully and you’ll be trading off between long wall rides and the occasional barrel if the tide lines up. Keep in mind, that long period will make the sets feel more spaced out, but the waves will have real push. This is your top pick for the whole 16-day window.

Sunday morning, July 26, has a bigger-looking 3ft SSW at 19 seconds and energy at 881, but the wind is cross-on, so it’s not as clean. Monday afternoon, July 27, brings a nice shift: 3ft SSW with an 18-second period, energy at 706, and a gentle offshore from the NNW at 9 mph. That’s clean, offshore wind at a river mouth—gotta love that. Tuesday morning, July 28, sees the biggest energy reading of the lot at 1107, with 3ft SSW at 16 seconds, but the wind is cross-on again. The afternoon has onshore wind, so it’s messy. The afternoon on July 27 is the better call for that late run.

Bottom line: There are two true standouts in this forecast—Tuesday morning, July 14, and Saturday morning, July 25. Both have glassy or offshore wind, clean lines, and good energy. The rest of the good mornings are solid but not magic. The swell stays small enough for intermediates to handle, and big enough to keep it interesting. Crowds can pop up at La Barra, so pick your session wisely.

Rusty.

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