Cable Bay (Porth Trecastell) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Cable Bay (Porth Trecastell). It’s gonna be a rough stretch, I won’t sugar-coat it. The whole sixteen-day window looks pretty bleak for a proper surf, with long gaps of nothing really rideable. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We start off on Saturday the 29th of August, and honestly, it’s a write-off. Tiny little 3ft swell from the SSW with a short, weak period of 6 seconds and combined energy of only 44 – that’s barely a ripple. Light cross-shore wind, but the waves are just too weak and poor. That sets the tone for the next several days. It’s a real flat spell through the end of August and into the first few days of September. There’s a bit of a bump on Monday the 31st with the swell hitting 5ft and energy jumping to 239, but it’s from the WNW with a short 6-second period and a fresh cross-shore wind ruining it. All poor, all scores of zero.

The first and only real standout, if you can call it that, comes on the 5th of September. Saturday afternoon shows a solid 8ft swell from the SSW with a combined energy of 531 – that’s moderate to strong, so there’s some grunt in the water. The period is still short at 7 seconds, though, so it’ll be a bit lumpy and less consistent than a longer-period groundswell. With the swell this big – over 5ft – it’s not for beginners, and it’s pushing expert territory. The wind is light onshore from the SW, which is a shame, but the energy is there. It’s only marked as a marginal call with a score of 2, so don’t expect perfection. The break is exposed to the SW, which matches the swell direction, so it’ll be picking up that energy. For a spot that’s fairly consistent, this is the one window where it might just be worth a paddle.

After that, the swell drops away again. Sunday the 6th of September afternoon sees a drop to 5ft from the SW, but with a light cross-off breeze from the NNE, the surf forecast actually looks “good” with a score of 2. It’s clean, but the period is still short at 6 seconds, and the energy is down to 215. That’s your second-best shot. Then it’s back to poor conditions through the second week, with messy onshore winds and weak, short-period swells. There’s a spike on Friday the 11th of September with a 6ft swell and strong energy of 637, but it’s onshore wind from the SW and the forecast is poor – just messy and lumpy. After that, it’s tiny again, with nothing worth mentioning through to the 13th.

So overall, if you’re itching for something, aim for the 5th or 6th of September. The rest of the time, you’re better off leaving the board at home. The crowds at Cable Bay can be *sometimes* a thing, but honestly, with this outlook, you’ll likely have the place to yourself.

Rusty.

Read more