Imsouane Cathedral surf guide: the wave, the tide and who it suits
What Imsouane Cathedral actually does with a swell, which tide it needs, and the surfer it suits. Checked against published surf references and our own sessions on 20 September 2026.
Wave type
powerful point / reef
Level
Intermediate / advanced
Best for
More powerful Imsouane side for capable surfers
Access
Long Imsouane mission · 88 min
Ideal wave height
0.9–2.7 m
Ideal swell period
9–18 s
Offshore wind
65°–150°
Wind to avoid
240°–335°
What kind of wave is Imsouane Cathedral?
Imsouane Cathedral is a right-hand point break over reef. When it lines up, a ride at Imsouane Cathedral runs about 50 to 150 metres. Imsouane Cathedral needs a swell from WNW–NNW (285°–345°) at 0.9–2.7 m and 9–18 s to switch on. The wind decides as much as the swell: Imsouane Cathedral holds its shape from the ENE–SSE sector (65°–150°) and goes ragged once it swings onshore. The Cathedral is the Bay's opposite number around the headland: the same village, but a far shorter and much faster wave over rock instead of sand.
What tide does Imsouane Cathedral work on?
Imsouane Cathedral works best from mid to high tide. The inside of Imsouane Cathedral has rock in it, so low water is when the last third of the ride becomes the part to think about. Getting in and out of Imsouane Cathedral is a timed jump off the rocks, and that is the part that hurts people here, not the wave.
Who should surf Imsouane Cathedral, and how busy is it?
Imsouane Cathedral suits intermediates and advanced surfers. Imsouane Cathedral fills up when the forecast is obvious and empties again when it is not. At Imsouane Cathedral the things to watch are rock under the take-off and how fast the section runs away from you. If Imsouane Cathedral is too big, too crowded or simply wrong on the day, Imsouane Bay is the nearest useful swap, and a guided session from our own desk puts a local in the water with you rather than sending you out cold.
Spot facts checked against published surf references and our own sessions, 20 September 2026. The live numbers above update continuously.
Cathedral surf forecast — quick questions
Can a beginner surf Imsouane Cathedral?
No. Imsouane Cathedral is not a first-week wave, and what rules it out is rock under the take-off. Imsouane Bay is where a beginner should be instead.
How cold is the water at Imsouane Cathedral, and what wetsuit do I need?
The sea off Imsouane Cathedral runs about 17–19 °C from December to March and 21–23 °C in late summer. That is the figure for this whole stretch of coast rather than a reading taken at the spot, so plan on a 4/3 mm wetsuit in winter and a 3/2 mm or a springsuit in September. Today's measured sea temperature is in the live board above this guide.
From the forecast to the water
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