Zurriola hondartza Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and settle in, 'cause I’ve got to be straight with you – this 16-day window for Zurriola hondartza is a tough one. We’re looking at a whole lot of nothing for a long stretch, and I mean a long stretch. The first real sniff of anything that might be considered surf doesn’t show up until Wednesday the 22nd of July, and even then it’s not much to write home about. Before that, it’s flat or so weak it’s not worth paddling out for. The water temp is absolutely cooked, sitting at 78°F on the 15th, which is a massive 9°F warmer than normal for this time of year – proper bathwater, that’s very unusual.

For the first week, from the 15th through to the 21st, the swell is tiny, mostly under 3 ft, with weak combined energy (20 to 30 on the scale) and the wind is a constant cross-on or onshore from the NW or WNW. Thursday morning the 16th has a bit of a bump but it’s still poor. Friday the 17th is the same story. Saturday morning the 18th is glassy, but with only 1 ft of swell and energy at 18, it’s a lake. Sunday the 19th is a write-off. Monday the 20th finally sees a bump in energy to 129, but the swell is still under 3 ft and the wind is onshore. It’s just not happening.

The first real standout, and I use that term loosely, is Wednesday the 22nd of July, morning. We’ve got glassy conditions with a light N wind, and a small 2 ft groundswell from the N. The energy is still weak at 49, but it’s the cleanest we’ve seen. The next morning, Thursday the 23rd, is also glassy, with a 4 ft swell from the WNW, energy at 84. It’s surfable but very ordinary. Nothing special, but it’s the best on offer.

Then we hit a proper run of size from Friday the 25th of July afternoon. The swell jumps to 7 ft from the WNW on Saturday morning the 25th, with energy hitting 352. That’s a solid, moderate energy swell. The problem? The wind is a cross-on 9-12 mph from the WNW, making it choppy and poor. That size is getting into expert territory, and with the wind on it, it’s going to be a messy, lumpy mess. The period is short at 6 seconds, so it’s a windswell, not a clean groundswell. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, to be honest.

The 26th of July, Sunday, has a bit of a drop but still 4 ft from the NNW, with energy at 168, but again the wind is cross-on or onshore. Monday the 27th sees it fizzle back to under 3 ft. Tuesday the 28th is glassy again but with barely any swell.

So, the pick of the litter? If you must get wet, the glassy mornings on the 22nd and 23rd of July are your best bet for anything clean, even if the waves are small and ordinary. The bigger swell on the 25th is there, but it’s for experts only and it’s going to be messy. Expect crowds at Zurriola hondartza, as it’s a popular spot and can be busy. It’s a fairly consistent break, but this forecast is a real test of patience.

Rusty.

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