Boscombe Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, grab a coffee and let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks at Boscombe Pier. To be brutally honest, it’s a pretty grim run for the most part. The first week and a half is basically a write-off for any decent paddle surfing. There’s a gap of about nine days from the start where the lineup is just not worth the paddle out, with tiny, weak, and messy conditions.

Wednesday morning the 5th kicks off with a 4ft WSW swell, but it’s a short, weak 6-second period and a stiff cross-shore wind has it all chopped up. The wave energy is weak (118). It’s a no-go. That afternoon the swell bumps up to 6ft but the wind hits 30 km/h from the WSW, making it a messy cross-shore with a lumpy chop. The energy is moderate (209), but the quality is poor.

Thursday the 6th is cleaner with a cross-offshore breeze, but the swell has dropped right off to 2ft in the morning and 3ft in the afternoon, with a pathetic 4-second period. The energy is almost nothing (39 and 42). Hardly rideable.

Friday the 7th morning is glassy with a light easterly, but the swell is a mere 1.0ft. It’s a flat, glassy lake. The rest of the week continues in the same vein: tiny, weak, and mostly onshore or cross-onshore, with the odd clean moment but no swell to back it up. The 12th of August has a brief appearance of a 4ft easterly swell, but it’s a cross-shore wind and only 5 seconds period, so it’s a bumpy, weak mess (74).

The first real sign of life comes on the morning of Friday the 14th. An early morning clean cross-offshore breeze meets a 2ft WSW swell with a 9-second period. The energy is low (64), and the waves are described as surfable but very ordinary. It’s the best of a bad bunch so far, but nothing to get excited about.

The standout window, and the only one worth targeting, is Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th. Tuesday morning the 18th sees a clean 5ft WSW swell with a 6-second period, and a light cross-offshore breeze. The wave energy is moderate (179). It’s not huge, but it’s the cleanest, most substantial swell of the whole outlook. That afternoon, the swell builds to 7ft with a 7-second period, and the energy jumps to a strong 440. The wind is still a clean cross-offshore. This is the pick of the forecast. It’s a solid, powerful swell for the pier, but at 7ft it’s pushing into expert territory for the size. The short period swell (6-7 seconds) means it won’t have the same punch and shape as a long-period groundswell, but the clean conditions and moderate energy will still offer some fun, powerful waves. The water temp is about average for the time of year.

Wednesday morning the 19th offers a final clean morning with a 4ft WSW swell, 6-second period, and a light cross-offshore breeze. The energy is moderate (104). It’s a good follow-up session to the Tuesday, but the swell is smaller.

The rest of the period after that fades back into tiny, onshore, and poor conditions. If you’re a kite surfer, the strong onshore winds on the 16th of August (35 km/h WSW) and other breezy afternoons might look more appealing than a paddle.

So, the call is simple: if you have to surf, the morning of Tuesday the 18th of August is the standout. The afternoon of the 18th has the most size and power, but it’s for experienced surfers only. The 19th of August morning is a solid backup. The rest is a long, flat wait.

Rusty.

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