Rade de Croisic Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for the Rade de Croisic. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. We’re looking at a whole lot of flat, blown-out, or just plain miserable conditions for the next two weeks. There’s a glimmer of something towards the very end, but you’re gonna need patience.

The outlook starts with a real dud. From Tuesday the 18th of August right through to the end of the month, it’s all "poor surf conditions." The first real chance of anything remotely surfable doesn't pop up until the very beginning of September. That’s a solid two-week gap of nothing worth paddling out for.

Let’s break down the grim reality first. The first few days are tiny with onshore wind. Tuesday morning, the 18th, you’re looking at a 0.7 ft W swell with a short 7-second period and 15 km/h onshore breeze – total washout. That afternoon gets worse, wind picking up to 25 km/h, the swell period dropping to a terrible 3 seconds. The combined energy is laughable, barely scratching double digits (6 to 20).

Through the rest of August, we see a few slight bumps in swell height, hitting 3.3 ft on the 20th and 27th, but it’s always accompanied by fresh onshore winds. The wave energy does climb into the 100s (139, 166) on the 20th, which is moderate, but with a strong onshore wind and that west swell direction, it’s just a messy, lumpy ocean. Not for paddle surfing, that’s kite-surfing territory.

Now, Saturday the 22nd of August morning is a cruel tease. The swell is tiny (1.6 ft, W), but the wind goes glassy offshore from the east at just 5 km/h. It’ll be clean as a whistle, but there’s absolutely no power. The energy is only 34. You’d be bobbing around with nothing to ride.

There’s a glimmer of hope on Tuesday the 25th of August morning, with another glassy offshore, 5 km/h from the ENE, but again, only a 0.7 ft swell. The period jumps to 11 seconds, suggesting some long-period groundswell trying to sneak in, but the height is just too small.

Then we finally get to the first of September. Tuesday the 1st of September morning is the first time the forecast calls it “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” The swell is 2.3 ft from the WNW, period at 10 seconds, and the combined energy is 105 – weak but not nothing. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the SE at 5 km/h, keeping it clean. That’s the best we’ve seen in weeks.

But don’t get too excited. That same afternoon, the swell jumps to 3.9 ft from the west with a very long 13-second period, and the combined energy rockets up to 448 (moderate-strong). The problem? The wind swings onshore from the WNW at 15 km/h. It’s a lot of energy, but it’s going to be choppy. A long-period west swell like that wants a point break or a reef to wrap around; at a beach break it’ll just be dumping and sectiony. The next morning, the 2nd of September, it drops back down to 3.0 ft with a 12-second period, but the wind is still cross-onshore.

So, if you’re asking me for a standout, it’s a grim pick. The absolute best on offer is Tuesday morning, the 1st of September. The swell is small but clean. If you’re desperate for a paddle and don’t mind weak waves, that’s your window. The afternoon of the 1st has the power but the wind ruins it. That’s it, folks. A long wait for a very average window.

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