Aberystwyth harbour trap Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for Aberystwyth harbour trap over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you, mate – it’s a tough stretch. We’re looking at a proper dry spell to kick things off, and it’s not until the very end of this forecast window that we might finally get something to paddle into.

For the first twelve days, from Friday the 14th of August right through to the evening of Tuesday the 25th, it’s essentially flat or blown out. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is a whopping 7° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s seriously unusual, like bathing in a bath, but there’s no surf to enjoy it in. We see a few tiny pulses, like a 0.3ft glassy wave on the morning of Sunday the 16th, but that’s with a period of 7 seconds and combined energy of just 1 (weak) – it’s barely a ripple. The wind is all over the shop, mostly cross-on or onshore, and even when it’s clean, there’s simply no size. This is a blank run that’s fairly normal for this area when the setups aren’t lining up. The only real highlight is that from Wednesday the 26th onwards, the wind starts to shift, with clean cross-off conditions showing up on the 27th, but still, the swell is tiny.

Then, things change. On the morning of Friday the 28th of August, we’ve got a proper pulse. A 10ft west-south-west swell, with a period of 10 seconds, slams in. The combined wave energy is 1593 (strong), so there’s a lot of power behind it. The wind is a clean cross-off from the east-north-east, which is perfect for this spot – offshore or cross-off is what you want for that reef setup, and it’ll keep the faces clean. However, this is a big swell – over 8ft – so it’s strictly for the experts only. Beginners need to stay well away. The quality is still labelled as marginal, so don’t expect perfection, but it’s the only real swell in the entire outlook. Crowds are sometimes a factor here, so on a Friday with a solid swell, expect company.

The next morning, Saturday the 29th, it’s still decent. An 8ft westerly swell with an 8-second period, combined energy of 825 (moderate to strong). The wind is light and cross from the north, so it’ll be a bit bumpy but still rideable. Again, that’s expert territory at 8ft. The afternoon sees the wind swinging to a fresh north-westerly cross-on, which will chop it up and trash the quality, so make the most of the morning.

So, the standout window is the morning of Friday the 28th of August. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. It’s a long-range call so treat it with a bit of caution, but the signs are there. The morning of the 29th is a solid backup, but you need to be on it early before the wind gets messy. For now, it’s time to wax the board for that Friday session.

Rusty.

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