Anglet - La Petite Madrague Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

It’s a pretty grim picture for the most part, I gotta be honest with you. We’ve got a long stretch of real small, weak, and downright messy conditions ahead. The first solid session that’s worth paddling out for doesn’t show up until Friday, August 7th, so we’re looking at over a week of flat, choppy, or just plain poor surf.

The water is running warm right now, about 76° at La Petite Madrague (Anglet). That’s a solid 5° above normal for this time of year, so you’ll be wearing a thinner suit or maybe just boardies if you’re brave.

Let’s break it down. A quick look at the first few days: Wednesday the 29th, we’ve got a tiny 3 ft swell from the NW, but the wind is howling onshore from the WNW. It’s poor, and the score reflects that. Thursday the 30th through to the end of the first week is more of the same – waist-high or smaller, short period junk, and cross-onshore winds. The combined energy is weak, usually under 100 (like 70, 86, 66). It’s a real struggle.

We go through all of the first week of August with nothing but small, choppy slop. The swell is tiny, the period is low (5-6 seconds), and the wind is never friendly. This is a long blank run. It’s frustrating, but this kind of flat spell isn’t unheard of around here.

Then, finally, Friday morning, August 7th, we get a little pulse of life. The swell picks up to 4 ft from the WNW, with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 222 (moderate). The wind is holding from the NE, and it’s glassy. That’s the key word – *glassy*. The report says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the standout moment. La Petite Madrague is a beach/jetty setup, and with that clean, glassy morning, it’s going to be the best wave we’ve seen in a week. It’s still a beginner-friendly size, so it’s not going to be a monster, but it’ll be fun and clean. The swell direction from the WNW is right in the optimum window for this spot, so it’s dialed in.

Saturday morning, August 8th, is still surfable – 3 ft from the WNW, with light offshore ENE wind at 5 km/h (3 mph), keeping it clean. The energy is decent (147). But it’s not the same quality as the Friday morning glass-off.

After that, it’s back to the wind and onshore slop. Sunday the 9th has a bigger 4 ft swell, but it’s ruined by onshore wind. Monday the 10th has some energy (244), but again, the wind is a problem. The rest of the run is real small and windy again, right through to the 13th.

So, the one true standout is Friday morning, August 7th. Get out there early, before the wind switches. It’s the best on offer in this whole forecast window.

Rusty.

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