Caerhays Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight – if you’re looking for a proper wave around Caerhays over the next sixteen days, you’re gonna be waiting a long time. The whole run is a tough stretch. It kicks off on Monday the 31st of August with a tiny 1ft swell from the WSW, period a moderate 11 seconds, but a fresh 19 mph cross-off wind keeps the surface clean. The combined energy is weak (111), and the water’s sitting at 64°, which feels a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. Still, “poor surf conditions” sums it up – barely a ride to be had.

Tuesday the 1st and Wednesday the 2nd see the swell drop even further, with cross-on winds and choppy mess. By Wednesday afternoon there’s a brief pulse of 3ft from the SSW, but with a period of just 4 seconds and 19 mph winds, it’s lumpy and hopeless. Thursday and Friday stay small and clean-ish at best, but the swell’s too weak – never cracking 2ft.

Saturday the 5th is glassy in the morning with a light 3 mph offshores, but the swell is a measly 0.7ft. Sunday the 6th brings a shift – SE swell building to 3ft by afternoon, but it’s short-period (4 seconds) and cross-on, so it’s choppy and weak. Monday the 7th sees clean conditions again with NW cross-off winds, but the swell’s only 2-3ft – not enough to get excited about.

The real tease comes on Wednesday the 9th of September. By the afternoon, a 6ft swell from the S shows up with a short 6-second period, but the combined energy jumps to 234 (moderate). The wind is cross-shore at 19 mph, so it’s lumpy and messy – honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Thursday the 10th of September morning cranks up – a 7ft swell from the WSW, period 8 seconds, and the combined energy hits 724 (strong). But it’s cross-shore at 19 mph, creating lumpy cross-chop. That’s expert-only territory, and with the wind on it, it’s not going to be clean. The afternoon drops back to 1ft but turns clean with NW cross-off winds – too little, too late.

From Friday the 11th through to the end of the period on Tuesday the 15th of September, it’s back to tiny stuff. The only glimmer is Monday the 14th, where a 4ft SW swell (period 6-7 seconds) brings moderate energy (169 in the morning, 137 in the afternoon). But the wind stays cross-on, so it’s choppy and messy.

Best on offer? Honestly, there’s no standout. If you’re desperate, the 7ft pulse on Thursday the 10th morning has size, but it’s only for experts and the wind ruins it. The cleanest windows are the glassy morning of Saturday the 5th and the light offshores on Friday the 11th – but the swell’s laughably small. This is a rough run; don’t get your hopes up.

Rusty.

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