La Ciotat Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, giving you the same read but in feet and degrees Fahrenheit.

First off, the next 16 days for La Ciotat are a tough pill to swallow. The swell is basically missing for the first week, with combined energy sitting at zero (0) for most of the early days. The water is a warm 76°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice touch for a swim, but it won’t help the waves.

We start on Tuesday afternoon, 1st September, and there’s nothing to report—zero swell, just a moderate offshore breeze. The pattern stays flat through the 2nd and 3rd. On Wednesday morning, 2nd September, we see a tiny 1ft swell from the WSW with a short period of 4 seconds and combined energy of only 4—that’s barely a ripple. It’s clean with a light cross-offshore wind, but it’s not surfable. Thursday afternoon, 3rd September, shows a 2ft swell from the west with a 5-second period and energy of 16. Still poor. The entire first week is a write-off: every single entry is marked “poor surf conditions,” with no scores above zero.

There’s a long gap of quiet days from the 4th through the 11th. We get a few glassy mornings on the 6th, 7th, and 8th with tiny 0.7ft to 1ft swells, but the period is 4 seconds, and the energy is negligible (2 to 5). It’s more like a lake than the Mediterranean. The winds are light and glassy at times, but there’s just no push. The 9th and 10th are also flat, with strong offshore winds on the 10th up to 25 mph, but still no swell.

The second week shows a slight pulse. By Sunday afternoon, 13th September, we get a 3ft swell from the ESE with a 6-second period and energy of 60. But the wind is onshore from the east at 16 mph, and it’s raining. That’s messy. On Monday afternoon, 14th September, the swell jumps to 6ft from the west with a 7-second period and combined energy of 316—that’s moderate wave energy. But here’s the kicker: the wind is howling onshore from the ESE at 19 mph, making it choppy and ugly. The break is a reef, so it might hold shape, but with that wind, it’s going to be a battle. The 6ft is solid for a beach break crowd, but for a reef, and with the wind, it’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.

The reef at La Ciotat rarely breaks, and it’s rated for beginners, but this swell is over 5ft, so it’s getting too big for a learner. With the onshore wind, even the few experienced locals will struggle. The best bet is Tuesday morning, 15th September, but the data shows zero swell again. Wednesday morning, 16th September, has a tiny 2ft from the west with a 6-second period and energy of 30, but it’s cross-on and choppy.

Honestly, there’s no standout here. The only blip of size is the 6ft on the 14th, but the wind and conditions are poor. If you’re desperate, watch that afternoon, but don’t expect anything clean. The water is warm, but the surf is not. Better luck next cycle.

Rusty.

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