Guethary - Les Alcyons/Avalanche Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the coming weeks.

First thing you need to know - the water is running much warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 76°F at Guethary - Les Alcyons/Avalanche. That's a solid 5°F above average, so you can leave the thick spring suit at home.

Now, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. The next week and a half is basically a write-off. We've got a whole lot of nothing and a whole lot of messy. From the 9th of August right through to the 21st, it's a grim stretch of tiny, weak swell and poor conditions. The swell is barely scraping 3ft, and the energy is threadbare, often well under 100 (119 at its peak, dropping to a measly 16). The wind is a constant problem - mostly cross-on, onshore, or just generally chopping things up. You'll get the odd glassy morning on the 11th, 12th, and 18th, but with the swell so small and the period short (8-10 seconds), it's just not worth the paddle. The wave comment says it all: "poor surf conditions" day after day.

Then, we finally get a flicker of something. On Saturday the 22nd of August, the morning is looking like a bit of a wildcard. The swell is still small at 2ft, but it's got a bit more push with a period of 11 seconds, and the combined energy jumps up to 122 (moderate). The real kicker is the wind: a clean, cross-off breeze from the ENE. That'll put a nice face on the wave. It's "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions" according to the report, but a clean 2ft on a reef break like this can be a lot more fun than the numbers suggest. Just be aware that crowds are often a problem here, so you won't be alone.

Sunday the 23rd of August morning is another one to keep an eye on. Glassy conditions with a 2ft, 9-second NW swell and energy at 118. Again, "surfable but very ordinary", but glassy is glassy.

The one true standout that's worth circling on the calendar is Monday the 24th of August. The morning session is where it's at. The swell is pushing up to 3ft, coming from the NW, and the combined energy hits a solid 228 (moderate). The wind is light and cross-off from the ENE, giving us clean conditions. The report actually says "expect good surf conditions" with a score of 2 out of 10. For a stretch that's been all zeros, that's a big deal. That 9-second period is a decent groundswell, and on a reef like Les Alcyons, it should line up nicely. The afternoon gets ruined by a cross-on breeze, so make it a dawn patrol mission.

So, to sum it up: the first two weeks are a bust. The 22nd and 23rd are worth a look for the clean windows, but the real call is the morning of the 24th of August.

Rusty.

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