Zarautz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Zarautz has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but once the swell kicks in, there’s a standout window you won’t want to miss. The water is sitting at a very unusual 75°, which is a whopping 5° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a real treat and means you can get away with a thinner suit, maybe even a springy.

The first session worth paddling out for is on the morning of Saturday the 29th of August. The wind is dead calm, glassy as a mirror, with a clean 6ft WNW swell rolling in at 9 seconds. The combined energy is a solid 497 (moderate wave energy), so there’s some good push behind it. It’s beginner-friendly at that size, but with those glassy conditions, it’s going to be fun for everyone.

The real standout, though, has to be the morning of Sunday the 30th of August. This is the pick of the whole forecast. The swell is a consistent 5ft from the NW, with a nice 10-second period, and again, zero wind – just pure, clean glass. The combined energy jumps to 582 (moderate wave energy), which means plenty of grunt and shape in the lines. For a consistent, exposed beach break like Zarautz, this is about as good as it gets for a clean, user-friendly weekend session. Expect some company though; this spot gets crowded when it’s good.

After that, things wobble. Monday the 31st stays rideable with 5-5ft NW swell, but the wind turns onshore, making it a bit bumpy and marginal. Tuesday the 1st of September morning could be worth a look with a 5ft NW swell and glassy conditions, but the energy dips a little (341). The rest of that first week drops off into tiny, low-energy surf with less than 3ft waves.

There’s a bit of a gap from the 2nd of September through to the 5th – small waves, mostly under 3ft, with low energy readings in the double digits (63, 39, 53). Not much to get excited about, but it’s clean on some mornings.

We see a bit of a pulse return on the 6th of September (Sunday) with a 4ft NW swell, but the period gets long at 12 seconds, and the wind is cross-onshore, which will mess up the shape. That long-period energy (427) is better suited for a point or reef, and at a beach break like this, it’ll likely be too straight and bumpy to be epic.

The morning of Monday the 7th of September has some promise – a 4ft NW swell, glassy, with 233 energy. Worth a look if you’re keen, but it’s not the standout.

From the 8th through to the 10th, it’s small again – waist-high or smaller. The end of the run, around the 11th of September, shows a spike in size with a 6ft WNW swell, but with a short period of just 7 seconds and cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be a messy, chunky mess. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a clean paddle session.

The last couple of days, the 12th of September, look clean and glassy but with tiny waves (3-3ft). A longboarder’s dream but not a standout.

All in all, your best bet is the Sunday morning of the 30th of August. Get in the water early for the glass and the best of that 5ft NW swell.

Rusty.

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