Zurriola hondartza Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here.

Honestly, this is a tough stretch for us. The models are showing a serious flat spell for the San Sebastián area. There’s basically nothing on the table for the next week and a half. We’re looking at a whole lot of tiny, weak, onshore slop that’s not going to do anyone any favours. The first couple of days are completely unsurfable, and then we’re stuck with ankle-biters that barely even qualify as waves.

The water temp is sitting at 76°, which is a solid 5° warmer than normal for the time of year — that’s pretty wild, so at least you won’t need a thick suit while you’re sitting there staring at flatness.

We’ll see the best of it on the mornings of the 1st and the 2nd at Zurriola hondartza (Basque Country). Still tiny, but the wind goes glassy and there’s a touch of push. It’s not going to be a classic by any stretch, but it’s the only time the place looks even remotely clean. The swell is coming from the NW at about 2ft with a weak energy reading (75), so it's just the cleanest of a bad lot.

Then we hit a proper dead zone. From the 3rd through the 9th, it’s just junk. The swell stays under 2ft, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the period is short. There’s no energy, no shape, nothing. You’d be better off doing literally anything else. The 8th brings a little more size to 3ft, but the period is a terrible 4 seconds and it’s cross-onshore. That’s a mess. Not even worth a mention.

The 9th and the 10th offer a couple of mornings with some glass, but the swell is still a pathetic 2ft. It’s surfable only if you’re truly desperate and just want to get wet. The energy is still weak (49).

Further out, on the 11th and 12th, we finally see a bit of a pulse. The swell is still small, but the period climbs into the 9-11 second range and the energy readings start to tick up (81). It’s still not big, but it’s the first sign of a proper groundswell. Still, the wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore, so the quality won’t be there. This is around the 12th, so it’s a while away, and a long-range call, but it’s the only window with any potential to be better than flat.

The 14th will see a little more size — 3ft — but the period is a shocking 5 seconds, which means it’s just windslop. The morning is glassy, so it might be less ugly, but it’s still not a surf. After that, it fades again into rain showers and moderate cross-onshore winds on the 15th.

Look, the honest truth is, if you’ve got a kite, maybe keep an eye on the afternoons when the wind picks up, but for a paddle surfer, the next 16 days are a write-off. The water’s warm, the air’s clear, but the ocean just doesn’t want to play ball. It can’t stay this poor forever, but right now, it’s grim.

Stay patient.

Rusty.

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