Mutriku Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this 16-day window for Mutriku is a tough one to call a winner. We’ve got a reef break that’s already inconsistent, and the forecast is serving up a whole lot of messy, ordinary conditions. There’s a real gap in quality surf here, with nothing really firing until the very end of the run. Let’s break it down.

The first few days are a write-off. Friday the 24th kicks off with a tiny 2ft NNE swell and glassy conditions, but the energy is weak (35) and the wave comment says it’s poor. The afternoon turns into a cross-shore mess with 4ft and a short 5-second period. Saturday the 25th brings a bit more size, 6ft to 8ft, but it’s all cross-shore, lumpy, and the energy is moderate (249) to strong (530). The wind is up to 19 mph, making it a real chore. Sunday the 26th is still average with cross-shore winds and a 6ft swell. The whole weekend is a pass for me.

We get a slight glimmer on Monday the 27th. The morning has a 4ft NW swell with a long 11-second period, and the energy is solid (498). It’s a groundswell, which is good for a reef setup like Mutriku, but the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s still marginal. The water is about 77°F, which is *much warmer than normal* for this time of year – that’s a 7°F anomaly, very unusual. It’s like a warm bath out there, but the surf is just not cooperating.

Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th offer some relief. Wednesday morning is the first real highlight. The wind is glassy from the NNW, the swell is a clean 3ft from the NW with a 9-second period, and the energy is moderate (159). The wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” which is the best we’ve seen. It’s small, but clean. The rest of that week stays small, with 2ft to 3ft swells, but glassy mornings on Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st mean the surface is smooth, even if the energy is weak (68 to 95).

Then there’s a gap. The first week of August is almost all poor. Saturday the 1st has a glassy morning with 3ft, but the afternoon brings a 5ft onshore mess. The standout window is the morning of Sunday the 2nd of August. We’ve got a 5ft NW swell, a long 11-second period, and the energy is moderate (471). The wind is light and cross-shore from the East, which is clean. The wave comment is “marginal surf forecast,” but it’s the best we’re going to get. The swell is coming from the NW, which is the optimum direction for Mutriku, so the reef should be lined up. Monday the 3rd of August is similar on paper, with 6ft and 11 seconds, but it’s cross-onshore, so it’s not as clean.

For the rest of the second week, it fades into small, weak, cross-onshore slop. The best bet, and the only real standout, is the morning of Sunday the 2nd of August. It’s not a classic, but it’s the cleanest and most promising window in a very average outlook. Expect a long-period groundswell that will be best on the reef, with light winds making for a tidy session. It’s rare for this spot to be firing, so don’t expect a circus. Keep in mind that with a 5ft swell, it’s fine for most surfers, but not a beginner wave.

Stay patient, and check back in. Forecasts can change, and it tends not to stay this poor for long.

- Rusty

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