Guethary - Les Alcyons/Avalanche Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’re looking at a pretty grim stretch ahead for the Guethary area, specifically Les Alcyons/Avalanche. This is an expert-only reef break, so don’t even think about it if you’re still finding your feet.

Right off the bat, the water is sitting at a very warm 77°, and that’s 7° warmer than what’s normal for this time of year – that’s a serious anomaly. The ocean is feeling tropical.

For the first few days, there’s just nothing to get excited about. The swell is tiny, under 3ft, with a short, weak period, and the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, messing up any chance of a clean wave. The combined energy is pathetic, reading in the 30s and 40s. It’s not worth paddling out.

We hit a bit of juice on Saturday the 25th, with the swell picking up to 6ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon, but it’s coming from the WNW with a short 7-second period. The energy is moderate (260 in the morning, 590 in the afternoon), but the wind is howling 15-18 mph cross-onshore. That’s lumpy, choppy, and messy. This is more kite-surfing territory than a clean paddle session.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Tuesday the 28th. The morning is glassy, with a clean 4ft swell from the NW, a solid 10-second period, and moderate energy (273). The wind is glassy from the ENE. That’s your best window in the early part of the outlook. Get in the water early, because the afternoon turns cross-onshore and choppy.

The next standout is a long way off, but it looks promising. On Tuesday the 4th of August, the morning is glassy again with a 4ft NW swell, and the energy is moderate (115). The afternoon is where it gets interesting: the wind turns offshore from the SE at 9 mph, the swell bumps up to 4ft from the WNW, and the period jumps to 11 seconds. The energy is moderate (375) and the conditions are clean. That’s a solid afternoon session.

Finally, Wednesday the 5th of August has a glassy morning with a clean 4ft swell from the WNW, a 10-second period, and moderate energy (340). It’s another good window, but the afternoon turns onshore again.

So, the honest truth? This is a long, dry spell with two very specific windows that are worth your time. The best of the bunch is the afternoon of Tuesday the 4th of August. Offshore wind, clean lines, and a decent swell. The morning of Tuesday the 28th is your other shot. Everything else is a write-off. It’s a reef, so the long-period groundswell on the 4th (11 seconds) will wrap in nicely, but remember, it’s an expert wave. The crowds are often there, but with this forecast, you might have it to yourself.

Rusty.

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