Bamburgh Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s shaping up for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I’ve gotta be straight with you – this is a tough stretch. If you’re looking for a classic session, you’re going to be waiting a long time. There’s a massive gap of flat, poor conditions right through the middle of the period. The first real sniff of anything worth paddling for doesn’t show up until late in the game.

Bamburgh is the only spot on the cards, and for the first week and a half, it’s pretty much a write-off. The waves are small, choppy, and blown out. We kick off on Friday the 17th with tiny 2ft to 3ft slop from the NNE with a nasty cross-on breeze. The swell energy is weak (18-49), and it’s just not happening. Saturday the 18th sees a jump in height to 6ft, but the wind is howling cross-on at 19 mph, making it lumpy and ugly. The energy is picking up (285), but the quality is shot.

Sunday the 19th is a bit of a tease. We get a solid 8ft swell from the NNE with a period of 10 seconds, and the energy is pumping (981). That’s a lot of water moving, but it’s still a mess in the morning with a cross-on wind. By Sunday afternoon, the wind swings onshore and lightens up, giving us a “marginal” score. The swell drops to 7ft, and while it’s still got some punch (733), the conditions are questionable. It’s too big for beginners anyway, and the cross-on chop in the morning makes it a real wrestle.

After that, it’s a dead zone. From Monday the 20th all the way through to Saturday the 26th, we’re looking at tiny, weak waves. The swell drops to under 3ft, and the energy is in the pits (below 176 mostly). There’s a morning on the 23rd that’s glassy with a 3ft wave, but it’s weak and ordinary. The wind goes offshore on the 26th, but the swell is just 3ft with a period of 7 seconds – surfable but barely worth the drive.

The standout window, if you want to call it that, is Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th. The wind is offshore or cross-off, the surf is clean, but the waves are tiny. Saturday the 26th morning gives us 3ft from the NNE with a light offshore breeze. It’s clean, but the energy is only 75. It’s a longboarder’s special, maybe a fun little fizz, but nothing to get excited about. Sunday the 27th is more of the same: clean, but the swell is down to 1ft and 2ft. The energy is pathetic (14-43).

After that, from the 28th of July through to the 1st of August, the swell just flat-lines. We’re talking 0.3ft to 1ft, with periods so short they’re barely a ripple. The wind is clean offshore at times, but there’s absolutely nothing to ride. The energy is single digits. It’s a total desert.

So, the honest truth? There’s no standout. The best of a bad bunch is the morning of Saturday the 26th of July. It’s clean, the wind is light and offshore, and you might get a few waist-high bumps. If you’re desperate, you could get a wet suit on and a longboard, but don’t expect much. For the rest of the 16 days, you’re better off checking the weather forecast or finding a hobby. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

Stay patient, lads. This run will end.

Rusty.

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