La Govelle Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, gather 'round. Rusty here, and I've had a good look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you—it's a tough stretch. The forecast is showing a whole lot of little, weak, and messy conditions, with the wind doing us no favors for most of it. The only break on the cards is La Govelle, a reef setup that's fairly consistent, but it's going to be a waiting game.

We kick off Saturday the 25th of July, and honestly, there's nothing to get excited about for a long time. The first week is a write-off. Day after day, we're seeing tiny swells, mostly under 3 ft, with cross-onshore winds that have the place chopped up and lumpy. The combined wave energy is weak, often just a few dozen points, which tells you there's no power in the water. We get a few clean moments, like Tuesday the 28th morning with a light cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is a pathetic 1 ft from the west with a short period—barely a ripple. The same goes for Thursday the 30th morning, which is glassy but with only 1 ft on offer. The water temp is around 66°, which is dead average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We finally see a pulse of energy arrive on Saturday the 1st of August. The swell pushes up to 3 ft from the west-southwest, with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to a moderate 173. But the wind is still a problem—cross-onshore from the west, making it messy. It's better than what we've seen, but it's still not clean. The afternoon is similar, with energy at 134. This pattern of poor surf continues right through the second week.

Now, things get a little more interesting towards the end of the run. On Wednesday the 5th of August, the energy really starts to build. The morning sees a solid 4 ft swell from the west with a period of 10 seconds and energy at 164. The wind is onshore from the south-southwest, but the afternoon is better, with a clean 4 ft from the west and energy jumping to 321. That's moderate-to-strong energy, and it's a sign of something bigger. The next morning, Thursday the 6th of August, we finally get a window. The swell is 3 ft from the west with a 9-second period, and the wind is a light cross-offshore from the north-northwest. The conditions are clean, and the combined energy is 126. The comment says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions," but that's the best we've got all period. It's still not a stand-out day, but it's the only morning that's not poor.

Then, the real deal shows up on Sunday the 9th of August. The morning brings a 7 ft swell from the west-southwest with an 8-second period, and the combined energy rips up to 499—that's strong. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the north-northeast, so it's glassy. This is the only true standout in the whole 16 days. The water temp is still around average, but the power is there. However, be warned: 7 ft is getting into expert territory, and at a reef break like La Govelle, it's going to be a heavy, fast wave. The short period means the sets will be more frequent, but the swell direction is a good match for the break's optimum from the southwest. The crowds are listed as "sometimes," so you might get it to yourself on a Sunday morning, but don't count on it.

The afternoon of the 9th sees the swell push to 7 ft, but the wind swings onshore and strong, making it lumpy and dangerous. That morning is your window.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a total bust. The second week has a few pulses, but the only real moment to get excited about is the morning of Sunday the 9th of August at La Govelle. It's a long way off, so the forecast might change, but right now, that's your best bet. For the rest of it, save your petrol money.

Rusty.

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