Belle Ile - Les Donnants Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for our little slice of the coast. We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag coming up, so let’s break it down.

The start of this period is pretty quiet. We’ve got a few small waves rolling in, but the conditions are mostly ordinary, and the wind is often working against us. It’s one of those stretches where you’d be checking the surf from the car park and probably driving home. There will be a few days of this, with the swell staying small and the wind making things messy. It looks like a bit of a lull.

Thursday morning at Belle Ile - Les Donnants has a little pulse of energy, with a combined swell energy of 109, but the waves are only around 2ft from the WNW. It’s glassy, so it’s not a total loss, but it’s far from inspiring. The rest of that day and into Friday and Saturday is poor; we see the swell bump up a touch to 4ft on Friday morning, but the onshore wind is just going to chop it all up and the energy is still only moderate at 335. It’s not the time to get excited.

By Sunday morning the 13th, we get a long-period pulse of 11 seconds, with 4ft of WNW swell pushing energy up to 401. It’s still rated as marginal, but it’s the first sign of something with a bit more push. However, the cross-shore wind will make it tricky, and it’s not until Monday morning on the 14th that we get our first real glimmer of hope. We’ve got a clean, gentle offshore wind from the ENE, and while the surf is only 3ft, it’s clean and surfable. It’s not big, but it’s the best we’ve had all week. The water temp is right around the seasonal average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

The next few days are pretty forgettable. Wednesday the 16th sees a jump in size to 6ft, but it comes with a strong cross-onshore wind and messy conditions. That’s a pass from me. Thursday the 17th is more of the same, with strong winds and poor shape. It’s just not doing anything for us.

Now, let’s talk about the real standout. If you can wait until Sunday the 20th of September, you need to. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The morning is looking seriously promising. We’ve got a solid 7ft of W/SW swell, but the real story is the period. A very long 16-second interval groundswell is forecast to push in, sending the combined energy into the thousands, hitting a massive 4001. That’s a serious injection of power. The wind is going to be a light offshore from the ENE, which should keep the surface clean as a whistle. The swell direction is WNW, which is solid for this break. This is a standout, but it’s a big swell. At 7ft, it’s pushing beyond what beginners should be thinking about, and it’s going to need a bit of experience. The afternoon looks bigger, hitting 8ft, which is expert territory. This is the window.

Monday the 21st is still bringing good waves, with 6ft of WNW swell and a still-impressive 12-second period. The morning has that ideal offshore wind again, with energy still in the strong range at 1350. This looks like another excellent day for those who know what they’re doing. It’s still a solid size, so it’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s clean and powerful.

After that, it starts to fade again. The rest of the run looks smaller. We’ve got some cleaner days with cross-offshore winds, but the size drops right back off. Thursday afternoon the 24th might offer a brief window with 3ft and a moderate offshore wind, but it’s not the same energy. By Friday the 25th, it’s all gone again, with just 3ft and a fresh offshore wind making it difficult to paddle into.

So, to sum it up: the next week is mostly a write-off. Get your jobs done, wax your board, and save your energy. The standout is Sunday the 20th and Monday the 21st. That long-period groundswell is going to push through, and if the wind plays ball like it’s forecast to, we could be in for a proper session. It’s a bit of a wait, but it looks like it will be worth it.

Stay stoked.

Rusty

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