Mutriku Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the table for Mutriku. This is a sheltered reef setup that’s best on a NW swell, and right now that’s exactly what we’ve got coming in – but it’s a bit of a mixed bag for the first week or so. The water temperature is sitting at 76°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be in boardies or a light spring suit.

We’ve got a long stretch of small, messy, or onshore conditions to start. From Friday 21 August right through to Wednesday 26 August, it’s pretty much a write-off. Swell heights are tiny, mostly under 0.7m, with short periods and weak energy – the combined energy is barely ticking over, often below 100. The winds are generally cross-on or onshore, so the surf is choppy or just not worth paddling out for. Thursday 27 August sees a bit of a spike in size – 2.1m to 3.0m – but it’s a short-period WNW swell, and with a risk of thunderstorms, it’s only marginal. That 3.0m on Thursday afternoon with 1356 combined energy is a lot of water, but the period is only 8 seconds, so it’ll be fat and lumpy, and definitely only for experts. The wind is cross-shore, so it’s not clean.

Now, Friday 28 August morning is the first real standout. The swell is 1.8m from the NW, period 9 seconds, and combined energy is a solid 475 – moderate energy. The wind is glassy from the SW, so it’s clean. That’s a good window for a reef break like Mutriku, but remember this spot is inconsistent and sometimes crowded, so you might have to pick your moment. The swell direction is a perfect match for the optimum NW. This is the best bet in the first week.

After that, we drop back into small, weak surf until Wednesday 2 September. The mornings of Saturday 29 August and Sunday 30 August have some glassy conditions but only 1.4m to 1.8m swell, and the energy is moderate. The wind is light, so it’s surfable but ordinary. Not a standout.

Then we get to the real gem. Thursday 3 September morning is the highlight of the whole outlook. The swell is 2.1m from the WNW, period 8 seconds, combined energy is a whopping 1014 – strong energy. The wind is glassy from the W. This is forecast as very good surf conditions. That’s a proper, clean, powerful swell at Mutriku. Again, it’s a reef, so the period is short, but the glassy wind and solid size make it a ripper. The afternoon sees the wind swing onshore from NNE, so get in early.

Friday 4 September and Saturday 5 September tail off into smaller, less clean conditions, with the swell dropping to 1.6m and then 1.3m, and cross-on winds creeping back in.

So the call is: the first week is mostly a dud. The standout is Friday 28 August morning for a clean, moderate NW swell, and the absolute peak is Thursday 3 September morning for a glassy, powerful WNW swell. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. Mutriku is inconsistent, so don’t expect it to be pumping every day, but when it lines up, it’s a fun little reef.

Rusty

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