Carbis Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s switch to feet and miles per hour for the imperial crew.

Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let me tell you straight: Carbis Bay is looking at a long, bumpy ride over the next two and a half weeks. The swell sticks around, but it’s going to take a keen eye and a bit of patience to find a proper session.

The first real sniff of action kicks off on Sunday the 30th of August. We’ve got a 6ft to 8ft WSW groundswell (period 8 to 9 seconds) pushing in, with a moderate wave energy (477-696). The wind is a fresh offshore from the SW, which will keep the face clean, and that’s a big plus. But at that size, it’s a bit much for the beginners, and Carbis Bay being a fairly exposed beach, it’s going to be a bit of a handful. It’s not the best quality, but it’s the only game in town for a couple of days.

Monday the 31st sees the swell bump up to a solid 10ft from the West (period 10 seconds) in the morning, dropping to 8ft in the arvo. This is proper heavy energy (1448) and will be moving fast. The wind switches to a cross-off from the NW, which still cleans it up a bit, but it's a strong breeze (19 mph). This is definitely on the big side of things – experts only territory. The 8ft on Monday afternoon will be more manageable, but still shifty.

As we move into the first week of September, the size drops right off. Tuesday morning the 1st is the only real chance with a 4ft W swell (period 9 seconds) and a light offshore from the SW. Expect tiny, clean waves, but with low energy (203). It’s what we’d call a “log day” – not much push, but at least it’s not blowing a gale.

Thursday the 3rd through early next week is mostly a write-off. We get a few pulses of swell, but the wind is constantly fresh to strong, and the wave quality is poor. We’ve got a decent 7ft to 7ft on the 3rd, but it’s messy. The 4th of September (Thursday) has a 10ft WNW groundswell (period 10 seconds) with a massive energy spike (1522), but the wind is a strong cross-off (25 mph), making it a lumpy mess for the average punter. That one’s a kite surfer’s dream, not a paddle surfer’s.

After a few days of nothing special, we get a nice little window on Saturday the 6th of September. The swell drops right back to 6ft from the West (period 8 seconds) with a gentle, cross-off breeze from the WNW (9 mph). The energy is decent (462) and the forecast says to expect good conditions. This is probably the standout for the whole run—a clean, manageable size for a bigger board, and the crowd will be manageable, though you might bump into a few others who’ve been watching the charts. After that, it fades fast again.

The final week offers a couple of pulses at bigger sizes. The 8th of September (Tuesday) sees a 10ft W groundswell (period 10 seconds) and a huge energy dump (1955-3173), but with a fresh cross-off breeze (19 mph). That one will be for the big-wave chargers only, and it’s going to be very inconsistent with long lulls. Then, on the 11th (Friday), we have a similar-sized lump (8ft to 8ft) but with a cross-shore wind, making it a total chop-fest. Not worth the drive.

The real oddball in the forecast is the 13th of September (Sunday). The wind is light and onshore from the East (6 mph), but the swell is predicted at a massive 12ft from the West (period 10 seconds) with wild energy (4132). The forecast itself says it might be too big for this break. That’s a serious, dangerous beast. If the tide lines up, it might be a spectacle for the brave, but it’s not a session for anyone sane.

So, to sum it up: if you want the best of a very average run, point your board at Carbis Bay on the 5th and 6th of September. The 6ft W swell with a clean, light breeze is your best bet for a decent, manageable surf. Don’t bother with the massive 10ft+ days unless you’re an expert who loves a washing machine. The rest of the window is filled with poor wind and poor quality. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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