Cap Frehel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s going on with the surf at Cap Frehel over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a rough stretch for paddle surfing. The reef here is exposed to the west-northwest, and while the swell will be there at times, the wind and conditions are just not playing nice.

Right now, the water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 68°F with the anomaly being 4°F above average, so that’s a little treat for the skin.

The first few days, from the 12th through the 19th, it’s a write-off. Tiny waves, mostly under 2ft, and when there is a little bump, the wind is messy – onshore, cross-onshore, cross-shore chop. It’s just an ugly scene. There’s very little energy in the water, with the combined swell energy barely cracking double digits (14-53). Not worth paddling out for.

Then we get a bit of a pulse around the 20th of August. The swell picks up to 5ft - 6ft from the WNW and NW, and the combined energy shoots up to 310-538. That is moderate to strong energy. But – and it’s a big but – the wind is a strong breeze from the WNW at 25 mph, with rain showers and cross-onshore conditions. It’s going to be messy and lumpy. For a reef break, that’s a tough go. The size is getting into intermediate territory, but the quality is poor. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The next real standout, if you can call it that, is on the 23rd of August. Sunday morning, we’ve got a clean 4ft WNW swell with a period of 8 seconds, and the wind is a gentle breeze from the SW, which is cross-shore. That’s the cleanest wind we’ve seen in the whole forecast. The combined energy is moderate at 146. It’s not a big swell, but it’s the best of a bad bunch. The wind will keep it clean, and the size is manageable for most. The afternoon chops it back up with onshore NW wind, so get in early.

After that, the 27th of August has some size – 6ft to 7ft from the WNW with a 10-second period. The combined energy hits 236-716, which is strong. But the wind is on it again, cross-onshore at 16-19 mph, making it a choppy, bumpy mess. That’s expert-only territory given the size and the wind, and the quality won’t be there.

So, the only real window to get a clean wave is the morning of Sunday the 23rd. It’s not a world-class day, but it’s the only time the wind and swell align. Be there early, and keep your expectations in check. Every other day is a struggle.

Rusty.

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