Zurriola hondartza Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's get stuck into what's coming up around here. Honestly, for the next week you're looking at a real flat spell, with tiny waves and onshore winds making it a tough watch. The first half of the forecast window is a write-off for any decent paddle surfing. The surf finally shows a pulse around Monday the 20th, but it's still small and weak. The real standout, and the only one worth marking on the calendar, comes much later, on Wednesday the 29th of July, when we finally see some proper size.

Starting off, from Thursday the 16th through to Sunday the 19th, it's a total bust. We're looking at ankle-snappers with swell heights barely reaching 2 ft. The wind is mostly onshore from the NW or NNW, and the combined swell energy is a measly 17 to 38, which is just weak. Even the glassy mornings on Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th can't save it because there's just no wave to work with. It's a long wait.

Monday the 20th morning finally shows a flicker of life. The swell at Zurriola hondartza picks up to 3 ft from the north, with a short period of 7 seconds. The combined energy hits 92, still weak. The wind is glassy from the north, which is a major positive and will make the surface clean, but the waves themselves are described as very ordinary. It's a session for the longboard if you're desperate.

Tuesday the 21st morning sees a small bump to 3 ft from the NNW, with a period of 6 seconds and combined energy of 109 (moderate). Again, glassy north winds will keep it clean, but it's tiny and the period is short, so don't expect much push.

The next few days from the 22nd to the 26th are pretty much the same story: small waves (0.7 ft to 3 ft), short periods, and mostly onshore or cross-onshore winds. The 25th of July has a long-period swell of 12 seconds from the WNW, but the swell height is only 0.7 ft, so it's practically flat. The 26th and 27th also show some longer period swells (10-11 seconds) but the heights are tiny and the wind is not favourable.

Now, here's the one to keep an eye on. Wednesday the 29th of July is the standout. The morning session at Zurriola hondartza sees a solid 5 ft swell from the WNW with a period of 8 seconds and combined energy hitting 287 (strong). The wind is onshore from the NNW at 10 km/h, which is a light breeze, but it's still onshore. The wave report calls it marginal, but this is the biggest swell we've seen by a long shot. For an intermediate surfer, this is the best option on offer, though it's not ideal. The energy is there, so the paddle out will be easier with the longer gaps between sets from that 8-second period.

Thursday the 30th holds similar size at 5 ft from the NW, but the wind shifts to a cross-onshore from the WNW at 20 km/h, making it choppy. Friday the 31st sees the swell dropping to 4 ft with a moderate cross-onshore breeze, so it's backing off.

So, to wrap it up: this is a quiet period with a lot of frustrating flat days. The only real opportunity for a decent paddle comes on Wednesday the 29th of July, but even then the wind is not your friend. It's a gamble, but the biggest wave of the window.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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