Riviere Noire Harbour Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s comin’ up for the next couple of weeks here at Riviere Noire Harbour. The sandbar is gettin’ ready to fire, but we’ve got a bit of a wait for the real magic.

We start off with a solid pulse on Monday morning, the 24th of August. It’s a clean 8 ft of SSW groundswell, with a long 15 second period pushing a lot of energy (2780). The wind is a light cross-off from the ENE, so the waves are gonna be lined up nicely. Water’s a touch warmer than normal at 77°, feels like a proper summer treat. This is excellent for experienced surfers – the size and power mean it’s not a beginner’s game. That afternoon glassed right off, too, with the wind droppin’ to a glassy calm. Gorgeous.

Tuesday the 25th keeps the quality high. Still a clean 6 ft to 6 ft of SSW swell, period dropping a touch to 13 seconds, but the energy is still solid (984–1495). Offshore winds in the afternoon from the ESE make for some real clean, peeling walls. A fantastic run of days.

Now, Wednesday the 26th is a bit of a drop-off. The swell backs down to 5 ft, and the period gets shorter. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Then, hold onto your boards. Thursday the 27th of August is the standout. We’re lookin’ at a 10 ft SSW groundswell, with a very long 18 second period. The combined energy is massive (4854–5490). And the wind? Light offshore from the SE all day. This is gonna be pumping, but it’s strictly for the experts – that size and that long period at a sandbar can make for some tricky, fast, and powerful waves. It’s a proper session for the brave.

Friday the 28th gets properly big, with a 13 ft SSW swell, but the wind shifts to a strong cross-off from the SSE at 16 mph. The energy is enormous (9139), but that wind will be makin’ things a bit bumpy and hard to manage. For the experienced crew only, but it’s borderline for comfort.

Saturday the 29th of August is a bit of a wild card. The swell is a huge 15 ft from the S, with a 16 second period, and the energy is through the roof (13819). The wind is a strong offshore from the SE at 28 mph, which will keep the faces clean, but that wind is so strong it’s gonna be a battle to even get out. At this size, it’s a beast of a wave, and the strong offshore will make it steep and hollow. Definitely not for the faint-hearted or the average surfer.

After that big weekend, the swell drops fast. From Sunday the 30th into Monday the 31st, the waves are still a solid 10 ft, but the wind is pumpin’ at 25 mph, making it a struggle. The sandbar setup with that much wind and swell is lookin’ more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, to be honest.

From the 1st of September onward, it goes quiet. The swell drops below 5 ft, the period is short and weak, and the wind continues to blow. We’ve got a proper lull from the 1st through the 4th of September – a few days of tiny, poor surf. The 5th of September shows a tiny glimmer with a 3 ft swell and a very long 22 second period, but it’s weak. Not a goer.

Then, on Sunday the 6th of September, we get another nice pulse. A 8 ft to 8 ft SW groundswell, with a 16 to 17 second period, and clean conditions. The energy is back up (3309–3361). This is a promising window, but we’re a long way out, so treat it as a hopeful whisper.

The 7th and 8th of September keep the swell solid at 8 ft to 10 ft, with offshore winds, so there’s potential for another good run for the experienced crew in the second week.

So, the pick of the litter is clearly Thursday the 27th of August. That big, clean, long-period swell with light offshore winds is the one you want to circle on the calendar. The second shout is for the weekend of the 6th of September, but that’s a long-range look.

Rusty.

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