Capbreton - La Piste Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Capbreton - La Piste over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with ya, it’s a tricky one. We’re looking at a pretty quiet start, and honestly, for the first week, there’s not a lot to get excited about.

The first recommendation we see isn’t until Thursday the 20th of August, and even then it’s a bit of a maybe. Before that, from now through the 19th, it’s just one blank day after another. The swell is tiny, all under 3.3ft, with weak energy readings mostly in the double digits, and the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, making things messy. Just a whole lot of nothing.

Now, come Thursday the 20th, things start to change. We finally get a proper pulse of swell. That morning, we’re seeing a 5.2ft swell from the NW with a good period of 12 seconds. The combined energy jumps right up to 739 (moderate wave energy), but the wind is cross-onshore at 9 mph, so it’ll be a bit choppy. The afternoon looks a touch better, with the swell building to 6.2ft from the NW, period dropping to 11 seconds, and the energy hitting 836 (moderate wave energy). The wind backs off to a light breeze onshore from the WNW, so not clean. This size, over 4.9ft, is pushing it for beginners, but the wind isn't doing it any favours for anyone.

The standout here, the one you want to circle on your calendar, is Wednesday the 26th of August. That morning is where it’s at. We’ve got a 5.2ft swell from the WNW with a period of 9 seconds, and combined energy of 378 (still moderate but solid). But the magic is in the wind – it’s glassy. A light offshore breeze from the SW at 3 mph. That’s going to make for some clean, lined-up faces. The swell direction is WNW, which matches the optimum swell direction from the west. It’s a bit too much punch for beginners at that size, but for the experienced crew, this is going to be the best session of the stretch. The water temperature is a touch warmer than normal for the time of year, sitting at 74.8°, which is nice. Expect the usual crowd on a good day like this, it can get busy.

After that, we’ve got a few more days of smaller, less organised swell and onshore breezes. Thursday the 27th has a glassy morning but only 3.3ft, and then we’re back into the doldrums. So, there it is. A long wait, a bit of a window on the 20th that might be worth a look if you’re desperate, but the real deal is the 26th. Keep an eye on that one.

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