Playa de Barrika Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, lookin’ at the local stretch for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, first things first – the water is a balmy 75°, which is a solid 5° warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s not just a bit warm, that’s a proper anomaly. Feels like a bath out there.

Now, for the surf. It’s a bit of a tease. We’ve got a decent pulse of swell kicking off the period, but then it’s gonna go quiet for a long stretch. The best window is right now, Monday the 27th of July, into Tuesday the 28th. After that, we’re looking at a real flat spell from Wednesday the 29th all the way through to Sunday the 9th of August. That’s a solid ten days of barely a ripple. Not much to get excited about.

If you’re keen, the standout is Playa de Barrika. Monday afternoon is the pick of the whole forecast. We’ve got clean 5 ft swell from the NNW with a solid 10-second period and a combined energy of 439 (moderate). The wind is a cross-offshore breeze from the NE, so it’ll be clean and lined up. This is a reef break, and it’s usually inconsistent, so when it’s on, it’s a treat. It’s a beginner spot, but with the swell over 5 ft, it might be a bit much for total beginners. Tuesday morning is still pretty good – 4 ft from the NNW, clean with a light ESE breeze, but the energy drops to 320. Tuesday afternoon stays clean with 4 ft from the NW and offshore NE wind, but the energy is down to 229.

Then the lights go out. For over a week, we’ve got nothing but tiny, weak swell and mostly onshore or cross-shore winds. From Wednesday the 29th right through to Sunday the 9th of August, it’s just poor surf conditions. There are a few glassy mornings in there, like Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st of July, but the swell is barely 2 ft to 3 ft with hardly any energy (down to 39 or 72). Not worth paddling out for.

The only other glimmer is way out on Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th of August. That’s a long-range signal, so take it with a grain of salt. The models are showing a jump in size – 5 ft to 6 ft from the NW with a 10-second period and energy climbing back up to 664 (moderate strong). Tuesday the 11th morning looks the best of that pair, with glassy conditions from a light WNW wind and 6 ft swell. That’s getting into expert-only territory, especially for a reef setup. But it’s two weeks away, so don’t bank on it just yet.

Overall, the first few days have a couple of clean, fun waves, but then you’re looking at a long, flat dry spell. Keep your eyes on that far-off window around the 10th and 11th of August – it might just fire up if the forecasts hold.

Rusty.

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