Anglet - La Petite Madrague Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for our little corner of the coast.

The forecast is a bit of a tough one, to be honest. We’re looking at a long stretch of small, weak, and mostly messy conditions. The first real surf that’s even worth mentioning doesn't show up until Thursday the 6th, and even then it’s only just surfable. Before that, from the 1st through the 5th of August, it’s a whole lot of nothing – tiny waves, mostly cross-onshore winds, and just not worth paddling out for. That’s a solid five-day gap right at the start.

The spot we’re looking at is Anglet - La Petite Madrague. It’s a beach and jetty setup, and it’s exposed to the west, so it needs a good swell from that direction to really work. The water is sitting at about 76°F, which feels much warmer than normal for this time of year – a proper anomaly of 5°F warmer than average.

Let’s break it down. Thursday morning, 6th August is the first time we see a pulse of energy. The combined swell energy hits 107 (moderate), with a 3 ft swell from the NW at 9 seconds. The wind is a light, cross-offshore breeze from the NE, which will keep it clean. It’s not big, but it’s the best we’ve seen so far. The afternoon gets chopped up by a stronger NNW wind, so the morning is your only window.

Saturday morning, 8th August has a 3 ft swell from the NW, but it’s a windswell with a short, weak period of only 5 seconds. The wind is onshore and moderate, so it’ll be lumpy. The combined energy is only 63 (weak). Not a great call.

Sunday morning, 9th August is a bit bigger with 4 ft from the NNW, and the energy jumps up to 158 (moderate). But it’s onshore wind, rain showers, and a short 7-second period. It’s going to be a messy, bumpy mess. More of a kite-surfing session than a proper paddle session.

Tuesday morning, 11th August looks promising for a quick glassy session. The wind is dead calm and the conditions are glassy. The swell is 3 ft from the NNW at 8 seconds. It’s small, but clean. The energy is 75 (weak), so it’s not powerful, but it’s the cleanest conditions in the whole run.

After that, things drop off again. There’s a small uptick Sunday the 16th of August, with a 4 ft swell from the NNW and the energy climbing to 173 (moderate). But the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, and the period is short. More messy, ordinary surf.

The standout: If I had to pick one, it’s the Thursday morning, 6th August. The 3 ft swell from the NW with a 9-second period, combined with the clean, cross-offshore wind, is the best wave quality we’re going to see. It’s not a classic, but it’s the only shot at something half-decent in the first week. The glassy conditions on Tuesday morning, 11th August are a close second for pure, clean small waves. The crowds at Petite Madrague can be there sometimes, but on a small, average day like that, it won’t be hectic.

Stay patient, keep an eye on the charts. It tends not to stay this flat for long.

Rusty.

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