Le Petit Minou Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, we're gonna have to be patient. The next couple of weeks at Le Petit Minou (Finistère) look pretty underwhelming for paddle surfing. We’ve got a real shortage of decent swell for most of the run.

Right now, the water temp is sitting at about 66°F, which is only a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so nothing crazy, just your average late-summer feel.

We start off on Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th with tiny, weak waves. The energy in the water is barely registering (95), and with a north-northwest wind on Monday kicking up a cross-offshore breeze, the surf is just a complete write-off for any real fun. Tuesday morning offers a slight glimmer with an offshore breeze from the ENE and clean conditions, but the swell is a pathetic 2 ft, with a short, weak period of 8 seconds and only 65 in combined energy. That’s barely enough for a foamie. Tuesday afternoon stays small and the wind shifts back onshore, knocking it on the head.

Now, we do get a little bump mid-week. Wednesday the 12th sees a pulse of 3 ft to 3 ft swell from the west, but the problem is the wind. It’s blowing from the SSW and then west, making it a messy cross-onshore and choppy affair. The combined energy kicks up a bit but it's all for nothing with that surface texture.

Thursday the 13th sees the swell building to 4 ft from the west, with an 11-second period, which starts to look interesting. The combined energy jumps to 330 – that’s moderate. But again, wind is the enemy, coming in from the NW as a cross-shore with a slight chop. It’s going to be a frustrating, marginal day. Thursday afternoon looks a little cleaner with a cross-offshore breeze, but the swell drops back to 4 ft.

From Friday the 14th right through the weekend and into the following week, it’s pretty grim. We're stuck with tiny swell and cross-offshore or fresh offshore winds, which at least keep the surface clean, but the wave heights are consistently below 3 ft for days on end. The energy is weak to moderate, peaking at 245 on Friday the 21st, but the core swell is still small and short period.

There is a long gap here with no real standout quality until we get way out to Tuesday the 25th of August. That’s the only true standout in the whole forecast. We’ve got a 8 ft swell rolling in from the WSW with a 10-second period. The combined energy is a massive 978 – that’s strong energy. The wind is forecast to be totally glassy, zero wind from the north, which is about as good as it gets for clean conditions. That's the session. It’s a long way off, so don't get too attached, but it’s the one spark in a pretty quiet period. For a wave that size at a spot that can handle a bit of size, you want an offshore wind, and that calm, glassy morning will be your best bet. For the more average surfer, that kind of size might be a step up, but for the crew, that’s the day to circle on the calendar.

All in all, a blank run is pretty normal for this area when the pattern stalls. Forecasts can change, but for now, we’re looking at a very lean stretch until that last week of August.

Stay tuned.

- Rusty

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