Guethary - Les Alcyons/Avalanche Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s cut the shit and get into it for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, so for this stretch we’re looking at one main spot: Guethary - Les Alcyons/Avalanche. It’s a reef setup over in France, and it needs an expert hand. We’re kicking off on Thursday, August 20th, but honestly, it’s a rough start. The first few days are a write-off – onshore junk and poor conditions. You’re waiting until Saturday the 22nd to even sniff anything worthwhile.

The Overall Picture
The real story here is a pulse of moderate to strong swell that rolls through, but the wind and conditions are going to be the fight the whole way. The water is running about 77°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a solid 6°F warmer than average. You can leave the 4/3 at home; this is boardies and a rashie territory if the sun’s out.

Saturday, August 22nd – The Only Real Window
If you’re paddling out, Saturday morning is your shot. The swell is a playful 4ft from the NW with a 9-second period. The energy is sitting at a moderate 269 (moderate wave energy). But the real beauty is the wind: it’s coming out of the east at 9 mph in a cross-offshore flow. That’s going to clean that reef right up. It’s an expert wave, so expect some heavy drops, but with those clean lines, it’ll be worth the paddle. Expect some company here though – this spot is *often* crowded, and for good reason on a day like this.

Sunday the 23rd to Around Thursday the 28th – A Blown-Out Mess
After that Saturday morning, it goes pear-shaped. Sunday is glassy but barely any swell (2ft). Then a bigger swell arrives on Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th – we’re looking at 8ft from the WNW on Thursday afternoon (strong energy at 1007), and 7ft on Friday morning. But the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s going to be lumpy, choppy, and unridable for a standard surfer. That Thursday pulse is pushing past 8ft – that’s expert territory only, and with poor wind, even they’ll struggle. The reef will handle it, but the surface will be trash.

The Second Week (End of August into September)
The first few days of September are a flat spell. We see tiny waves (2ft to 3ft) and mostly onshore junk. It’s a proper lull from about the 30th of August through to the 3rd of September. Honestly, it’s just dead.

The Late, Late Hope – Thursday the 3rd & Friday the 4th of September
Hold on. There’s a little glimmer way out there. On Thursday morning, September 3rd, we get a 3ft NW swell with a light ENE cross-offshore breeze at 3 mph. It’s clean, but the energy is weak (111 – weak wave energy). It’s a long-range promise.

Then, Friday morning, September 4th looks interesting. It’s 5ft from the NW with an 8-second period. But the wind goes glass – dead flat. A NE breeze at 3 mph only. That’s the golden ticket. The energy is moderate at 281. If that holds, that’s the best of the second week, but it’s a long way out, so don’t plan your life around it.

The Verdict
The standout is Saturday the 22nd morning. That’s your day. After that, it’s a lot of cross and onshore wind ruining the fun until that glassy window on the 4th of September.

Stay frosty, and don't paddle out on the 27th unless you're a masochist or a pro.

- Rusty

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