Riviere Noire Harbour Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid run of swell for Riviere Noire Harbour over the next couple of weeks, but it takes a little patience to get to the real magic.

The pattern starts on Sunday the 9th with a clean, offshore southwest swell running 4ft to 5ft. The combined swell energy is sitting at 857 (moderate energy), and with a 15-second period, this is proper groundswell delivering nice shaped waves. The offshore wind is holding it all together, but the scores tell me it’s a bit touchy with the tide, so you’ll want to pick your sessions carefully. Monday the 10th sees similar size and direction, but rain showers and a cross-off wind on the afternoon session might mess with the surface a touch.

The standout window begins on Tuesday the 11th. We’ve got 4ft from the southwest, a 15-second pulse, and moderate offshore breeze from the ESE. The combined energy reads 940 (moderate energy) and conditions are described as very good. This is the first real highlight of the run – clean, lined-up, and uncrowded if you're lucky. Crowds are only 'sometimes' an issue here, so you can grab some space.

Wednesday the 12th is another beauty with gentle offshore winds and a solid 4ft southwest swell. Into Thursday the 13th, the swell drops to 3ft but it stays clean and the wind is light. Not the biggest, but fun.

Now, Friday the 14th is where things start to get interesting. The swell jumps to 6ft from the SSW and the period holds at 13 seconds. The combined energy pushes up to 1358 (moderate energy). The morning has cross-off wind, but the afternoon turns fully offshore and clean. Consider this the warm-up for the main event.

The absolute standout of the entire forecast is Saturday the 15th of August. Morning delivers 6ft from the south with a 20-second period and combined energy of 3929 (strong energy). That is a serious groundswell. It’s described as excellent for experienced surfers, and it’s not too big for the crew that knows what they’re doing. The afternoon, however, jumps to 10ft from the SSW at 19 seconds with a combined energy of 6613 (very strong energy). This is expert territory only – big, powerful, and pushy. The offshore wind from the southeast will keep it clean, but you need to be on your game.

Sunday the 16th keeps the 10ft SSW swell but the period backs off to 16 seconds. The afternoon session on Sunday the 16th is the highest-rated session of the whole outlook with a top score – excellent conditions for experienced surfers. The combined energy reads 4168 (strong energy). This is the other standout: big, clean, and relentless.

After that, Monday the 17th through Wednesday the 19th sees the swell drop back to 4ft to 6ft range, but the wind stays offshore. It’s still surfable, but the energy level drops significantly into the moderate range. By Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st, we’re looking at smaller 3ft to 3ft southwest and south-southeast swells – fun but not the big stuff.

Then, we have a sleeper hit around the corner. Sunday the 23rd of August brings a big 10ft SSW groundswell with 15-second period and combined energy of 3348 (strong energy), and the wind goes light and variable. Come the afternoon, conditions go glassy with 8ft from the SSW. This is a long-range promise, so don’t bank on it just yet, but if it holds, this will be another day for the experienced crew only.

One thing about Riviere Noire Harbour – it’s a sandbar break that’s fairly consistent and fairly exposed to the swell. The optimum direction is southwest, and that’s exactly what we’re getting. The swell direction matches the guidance perfectly. Water temperature is around average for this time of year, so no major surprises on the thermometer.

Overall, the best on offer is the afternoon of Sunday the 16th and the morning of Saturday the 15th for big, clean, expert-level surf. For the everyday surfer, Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th are your sweet spot.

Stay safe, keep your wits about you when it gets big, and I’ll catch you in the lineup.

Rusty.

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