Mutriku Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for the Basque coast over the next couple of weeks.

First thing you gotta know: this is a reef break we're talking about, and it's inconsistent. It doesn't fire all the time, so when the conditions line up, you get on it. But when they don't, you're better off watching from the rocks. Over the next 16 days, we've got a real mixed bag, with a few clear windows of quality and some long gaps of flat nothingness.

Right now, we're in a bit of a quiet spell. The first real session worth paddling out for kicks off on Sunday morning, the 13th of September. It's looking clean with a glassy, calm surface. The swell is a solid 4 ft from the northwest, with a nice long period of 13 seconds – that's proper groundswell energy, the kind that really wraps in here. The combined swell energy is sitting at a solid 540 (moderate), which is decent. It's a beginner-friendly break, so the size is ideal for getting out there, but keep in mind this is a reef, so be smart.

Sunday afternoon gets a bit onshore, so morning is definitely your move.

Monday the 14th is still rideable in the morning with 4 ft of NW swell, but the energy drops to 379. It's glassy again, which is a huge plus. But from there, things go south. Tuesday through to Wednesday the 16th is basically a write-off. Strong cross-shore and cross-onshore winds, short period junk (6-8 seconds), and the combined energy drops right off. That 6 ft on Tuesday afternoon is a lumpy mess.

Then we get a nice little pulse on Thursday morning the 17th. Glassy conditions again, 6 ft of NW swell at 11 seconds, and the energy jumps back up to 659. That's a good session for the intermediate crew. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

Friday the 18th is just ordinary, and then we hit our first real standout. Saturday morning, the 19th of September, is the best on offer. Get up early. The forecast is for a clean, glassy surface, 7 ft of northwest swell with a very long period of 14 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 1663 (strong wave energy). This is a serious groundswell, and for this reef, that's a dream. It's got power, it's got shape, and it'll be clean. It's a beginner spot, but at 7 ft, this is more for the experienced guys and gals – it's pushing the limits for learners. Crowds can be an issue here sometimes, and with a morning like this, you can expect company. The direction is spot on for the optimum swell direction out of the NW.

Sunday the 20th is still good in the morning with 6 ft and glass, but the afternoon gets a bit onshore for that 7 ft pulse.

Our second true standout comes on Monday morning, the 21st of September. Another absolute beauty. Flat calm, glassy as a lake. You're looking at 7 ft of NW swell with a 14-second period, and the wave energy is pumping at 1891 (very strong!). This is the biggest, most powerful swell of the whole outlook. Again, this is expert territory due to the size, and it's breaking on a reef. This window, from the 19th to the 21st, is where you want to be in the water.

The surf then tapers off through the 22nd and 23rd, with clean mornings but smaller waves (4 ft to 6 ft). By the 24th of September, it's gone. From the 24th right through to the 28th, it's a full-on flat spell. The swell direction swings around to the NNE, the period drops to 6 seconds or less, and the energy sits below 200 for most of it. The last morning on the 28th is glassy but the swell is only 1 ft. Nothing happening. That’s a 4-day gap of no surf at all.

So, to sum it up: the first real surf is Sunday the 13th morning, but the real magic happens the weekend after. Saturday the 19th morning and Monday the 21st morning are your standouts. Get on them. After the 23rd, we go dry for the rest of the window.

Rusty.

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