Cable Bay (Porth Trecastell) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Rusty here. Let me level with you – this forecast for the next couple of weeks at Cable Bay is a tough pill to swallow. We’re looking at a real dry spell, my friend.

The water temperature is a touch warmer than normal for the time of year, sitting at 62°F, so that’s a small comfort if you’re keen for a swim, but for surfing? The pickings are as slim as they come.

We start off with absolutely nothing on Sunday the 12th and Monday the 13th. Just clean, offshore wind but flat as a pancake – combined energy of all swells directed here at 0. Tuesday the 14th and Wednesday the 15th whisper a tiny bit of life, with a 0.3ft swell coming from the south, but with a long period around 16-19 seconds, it’s barely enough to wrinkle the surface. The energy is weak, registering just 7 to 14. You’d be fighting for a dribble.

Thursday the 16th and Friday the 17th see a slight bump to 0.7ft and 1ft, but the period drops to a pathetic 6-7 seconds – that’s short-period windswill. The combined energy climbs into the low 20s, but that’s still nothing to write home about. The winds are offshore or cross-off, keeping the surface clean, but there’s just no power in the water.

Now, Saturday morning the 18th is a glimmer of hope that breaks your heart. The swell is only 1ft from the SW with a 6-second period, but the wind goes glassy, dead calm (5 km/h from the NE). It’s a beautiful, clean morning, but the surf is still poor. The combined energy is a measly 11. It’s a day for a longboard and a lot of patience, or just a paddle.

Sunday the 19th through to Thursday the 24th of July is mostly a write-off. We get occasional tiny 0.3ft pulses, then nothing at all. The winds stay reasonable at times, but through the 22nd and 23rd it gets ugly with fresh to strong cross-onshore winds and rain, creating choppy, messy conditions. There’s a small increase on the 24th with a 2ft W swell, but it’s a 4-second period and onshore – total junk.

Finally, on Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th, we see a proper bump in size. Saturday afternoon brings a 6ft swell from the SSW, and Sunday morning holds a 5ft from the same direction. The combined energy jumps to 204 and 205, so there’s definitely moderate wave energy out there. But here’s the kicker – the period is a short 5-7 seconds, so it’s going to be a messy, blown-out affair. The winds for Saturday are onshore at 35 km/h, and Sunday stays strong cross-onshore. This is more of a kite-surfing show than a paddler’s paradise. A 6ft wave with that kind of wind is a battle.

Honestly, looking at the whole 16 days, there isn’t a single standout, not one session I’d recommend paddling out for. It’s a long, bleak run. Forecasts can change, but for now, save your wax and wait for the next system.

Rusty.

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