Barinatxe - La Salvaje Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the surf is pretty flat or just plain messy for the first week and a half. We’re looking at a real slow start, with nothing worth paddling out for until the last few days of the month. The first real glimmer of hope shows up on the morning of Monday, July 28th, but even then it’s only “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” The pattern is a long, drawn-out lull.

From Sunday, July 19th, through to Saturday, July 25th, the swell is tiny, mostly under 3 ft, with short, weak periods (mostly 6-7 seconds) and onshore or cross-onshore winds. The combined energy is laughable – mostly double-digit values (23 to 15), meaning barely a ripple. The morning of Wednesday, July 22nd, gives us a glassy 3 ft from the N, but it’s a weak 6-second period, and it’s still just “ordinary.” The same goes for the morning of Friday, July 24th – glassy, but only 2 ft. It’s frustrating.

The first real pulse of energy arrives on Sunday, July 26th, but it’s a long-period groundswell (14 seconds) from the NW, and the height is only 0.3 ft – practically nothing. The combined energy is a pitiful 14. The next day, Monday, July 27th, morning brings a bit more life: 2 ft from the NNW with an 11-second period and a glassy surface. The combined energy jumps to 101 (moderate), but it’s still just “ordinary.”

Things start to get a little more interesting towards the end of the month. Tuesday, July 28th, morning is glassy again with 3 ft from the NNW, 10-second period, and energy at 161. Wednesday, July 29th, morning gets a 4 ft NW swell with a 10-second period and 348 energy, but the wind is cross-shore, making it “marginal.” Thursday, July 30th, morning is similar: 5 ft NW, 10 seconds, 341 energy, and light cross-shore winds. Still “marginal.”

Now, the standout. The best chance of a decent session is Saturday, August 1st, in the morning. We’ve got 5 ft of NW swell, a solid 10-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 480. The wind is glassy from the NNE. That’s “expect good surf conditions” written all over it. The swell direction (NW) matches the optimum for this exposed beach-and-reef break. It’s an expert-level spot, and with 5 ft, it’s right in the wheelhouse for experienced surfers – not too big, not too small. The water temperature is about average for the time of year. The morning of Monday, August 3rd, also looks promising with 4 ft NW, 9-second period, 235 energy, and a clean cross-offshore wind from the SE, but the Saturday morning is the one to circle.

So, if you’ve been waiting, the first weekend of August is your window. The rest of the outlook is a waiting game.

Rusty.

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