Aberavon Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, it’s Rusty here, and we’re taking a good long look at what Aberavon’s got cooking over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with ya – the first week is a tough one for paddlers. You gotta be patient, ‘cause this stretch is going to test your dedication more than your surf skills. But don’t write it off entirely; there’s a real gem hidden at the very end of the window that’s got me talking.

The pattern kicks off with a whole lot of nothing. We’ve got tiny, weak swell from Tuesday the 25th right through the next several days – we’re talking ankle-biters with combined energy barely tickling 10, so don’t even bother waxing up. The wind is messy, too: mostly onshore or cross-on, and often strong. For the first week, it’s a write-off for decent waves. The swell does build around the 28th and 29th of August, hitting around 4 ft to 8 ft, but it’s all short-period chop (5 to 7 seconds) under fresh cross-onshore breeze, and the combined energy jumps up to 950, so the ocean’s got some grunt, but it’s just lumpy and ugly. This is a pure kite-surfing setup; forget paddle surfing. That pattern of wind-affected, poor-quality surf drags right through the first few days of September. There’s a brief moment on Friday the 5th of September with a clean, offshore breeze (ENE 22 mph) and a 3 ft swell at 10 seconds, but the energy is still moderate (218), and the call is only marginal. It’s not the standout.

The real payoff? You gotta wait for Tuesday the 8th of September. That morning, the ocean finally turns on. We’re looking at a clean 4 ft swell from the WSW, but here’s the kicker: the period is a very long 16 seconds, and combined energy is strong at 721. This is proper groundswell, pushing serious power. The wind is deathly still – a slight air from the north, keeping the surface glassy. This is the standout of the entire 16-day window. It’ll be clean, it’ll have shape, and the long period means it’ll wrap in with authority. This spot is a beach/reef/pier setup, so with that kind of period, watch for it to break a bit straight on the sand, but the pier and reef sections should hold really nice lines. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing freaky. The crowd factor in Aberavon is described as “sometimes,” so don’t be surprised if you’ve got a few heads out, but it won’t be a zoo. This is the session to aim for. The afternoon holds similar quality, but that morning window looks pure.

So, the long and short of it: suffer through the first ten days of onshore slop, then cash in on that Tuesday the 8th of September. It’s a long wait, but worth it.

- Rusty

Read more