Lacanau Ocean Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next fortnight at Lacanau Ocean is a real mixed bag, and honestly, it’s a tough run for most of it. We’ve got a long stretch of poor conditions, but there are a couple of windows that might just get your heart rate up.

We start off this Friday, the 24th of July, with next to nothing. Tiny 0.7 ft swell from the west with a 9-second period, and while the morning wind is a clean cross-off from the ENE, the energy is just pathetic (8). It’s not worth paddling out for. That pretty much sets the tone for the next several days. Through Saturday and Sunday, we get a bit of height – 5 ft on Saturday morning – but the period is a short, bumpy 6 seconds, and the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, making a mess of things. The wave energy creeps up to moderate levels (129–183), but the quality is poor. Monday is no better, with cross and cross-on winds chopping up a 4 ft to 4 ft NW swell. There’s a brief glimmer on Tuesday morning, the 28th – the wind goes glassy, dead calm, with a 3 ft WNW swell at a decent 10-second period. The water is a warm 74°, and it’s a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, which is nice. The waves are surfable but very ordinary, and the energy is moderate (171). It’s the best we’ve seen, but it’s hardly a standout. Crowds are possible here, as it’s a consistent spot, but with the conditions, it might be quiet.

Moving into the second week, the pattern doesn’t improve much. We have a few more mornings with glassy or light wind, like the 31st of July, but the swell drops back to 2 ft with a short 8-second period and weak energy (42). Not worth a wet suit. Then, on the 1st of August, the swell picks up dramatically – a solid 5 ft from the west with a very long 14-second period, and the energy jumps to a strong 453 in the morning and 681 in the afternoon. This is the real standout of the whole forecast. The problem? The wind is onshore from the west and WNW, making it a marginal forecast with questionable tide conditions. The period is long (14 seconds), which means it’ll be a proper groundswell, but at a beach break like Lacanau, it might break too straight and be tricky. Given the size (5 ft) and the onshore wind, it’s really only for the experienced crew. The afternoon of the 1st sees 5 ft waves with a 12-second period, but the wind remains onshore. This is the best chance we’ve got, but it’s far from perfect.

After that, the whole second week slides back into a monotonous grind of 3 ft to 4 ft WNW swell, with 9 to 10-second periods, and cross-onshore winds from the NW or W. The energy stays moderate (166–286), but it’s all poor surf conditions. The wind never really cleans up, and the period is too short to get excited about. The last few days, from the 5th to the 8th of August, are just more of the same – rain showers, moderate wind, and choppy, ordinary waves. The swell drops back to 2 ft on the 8th afternoon, with weak energy (52), and that’s it.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off, with a small glassy window on Tuesday morning that’s barely surfable. The real highlight is the 1st of August, with a strong, long-period groundswell, but you’ll have to deal with onshore wind. It’s promising but less certain that far out. For the rest of the time, we’re looking at a long gap of poor surf – it’s just not our month. Keep an eye on the forecasts, though; it tends not to stay this poor for long.

Rusty.

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