Capbreton - La Piste Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Capbreton - La Piste over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this outlook is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of pretty ordinary surf. The water temp is sitting at 75°, which is a solid 4° warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s a little more like a bath than the Atlantic we know.

For the first week, from Sunday the 9th right through to Saturday the 16th of August, it’s a real struggle. The swell is small, mostly between 1 ft and 3 ft, and the wind is all over the place. You’ll get a few glassy mornings – like Monday the 10th, Tuesday the 11th, and Wednesday the 12th – but the wave energy is weak (72 to 86). The waves are just too small and weak to get excited about. The combined energy of all swells directed here is mostly under 100, which tells you it’s barely moving. The swell direction is from the NW, but the optimum swell direction for this spot is from the W, so it’s not even lining up right. There’s a bit of a chance on Friday the 14th with a slightly bigger 3 ft swell from the WNW and some light offshore wind, but the energy is still only 145. It’s surfable, but it’s not going to light your fire.

Now, heading into the second week, things get a bit more interesting but still not brilliant. On Sunday the 17th of August, the swell picks up to 3 ft to 4 ft, pushing the combined energy to 154, but the period is short (7 to 8 seconds) and the wind is cross-on. It’s messy. The real standout moment comes on Thursday the 20th of August. The morning is glassy with a 3 ft swell from the NW, but it’s the afternoon that catches the eye. The swell jumps to 4 ft from the NW with a period of 11 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy – and the combined energy hits 320 (moderate wave energy). The wind is light and onshore from the WSW, which isn’t perfect, but it’s the best looking window in the whole 16 days. The swell direction is NW, which is a little off the optimum W, but with that energy and period, it’s worth a look. Just keep in mind crowds are often here, so expect company.

After that, we fade out again. Friday the 21st has a 4 ft NW swell but the wind is onshore and the energy drops to 204. Saturday the 22nd is clean with a cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is tiny at 2 ft. The final days from the 23rd to the 24th of August are just small and choppy.

Overall, there’s no real firing period here. The only time I’d consider paddling out is the afternoon of Thursday the 20th of August for that 4 ft groundswell. If you’re a beginner, the swell never tops 5 ft, so you’re safe, but for experts, it’s not worth the drive. The long runs of poor surf are normal for this area, but it’s a bit of a bummer. Keep an eye on the forecast – it tends not to stay this flat forever.

Rusty.

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