Guethary - Les Alcyons/Avalanche Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the surf forecast for Guéthary, the spot known as Les Alcyons/Avalanche, a reef setup for the experienced only.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a blank run ahead. The first real swell that’s worth paddling out for isn’t showing up until Tuesday the 10th of August. That’s a solid 14-day wait with nothing but small, poor surf in between.

So what’s happening on the lead-up? Today, Monday the 27th, we’ve got a 5 ft swell out of the NW with a 10-second period, but it’s cross-on at 6 mph from the NNW, so it’s just messy. The water is a balmy 77°, which is 6° warmer than normal for this time of year – really unusual, feels like a warm bath out there. The wave energy is moderate at best (459). It’s a no-go.

Through the end of July and the first week of August, the story is the same: tiny waves, weak energy (values dropping to 22), and winds that are mostly cross-on or onshore. There’s a cheeky morning on the 28th, Tuesday, with a clean-looking 4 ft NW swell and light east winds that are cross-off, which would be glassy, but the whole setup just has poor conditions written all over it. There’s a glassy moment on the 4th and 5th of August, but the swell is only around 3 ft with period around 6 seconds – just not enough push for this reef.

Now hold onto your board, because the 10th of August is where it’s at. Monday the 10th, the morning session is the standout. We’ve got a solid 6 ft groundswell rolling in from the WNW with a 10-second period. The energy jumps hugely to 661, which is strong. The wind is glassy, dead calm from the NE at just 3 mph. That is the window. This is an expert spot, so be ready. It’s likely to be really good.

That quality carries over to Tuesday the 11th of August morning. We’re looking at 6 ft of WNW swell, 10-second period, and the wind is dead calm. The wave energy is 726 – even stronger than the day before. This is the highlight of the whole 16-day run. Expect a proper, powerful groundswell unloading on the reef. This is for experts only – over 8 ft for periods are too much for beginners.

Because the swell direction (WNW) is a little off the optimum (W), and the period is a solid 10 seconds, it’ll still be good. On this reef, it should be fine. With crowds listed as "often" here, expect a lineup of locals who know the rock shelf.

To sum it up: the next two weeks are a write-off for any real surfing. But that 10th and 11th of August window is the real deal. Give it a miss until then, then get ready for a proper session.

Rusty

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