Carbis Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you about the surf ahead. It’s a bit of a waiting game for the next week and a half, but there are a couple of windows that could get the heart rate up, especially if you’re an experienced surfer. We’re looking at a pretty flat start, so don’t get too keen on the short term.

The first week is a real struggle. From Saturday the 8th through to the 17th, the swell is tiny, mostly around 1 to 3 feet, and the winds are mostly cross-shore or cross-onshore, chopping up what little is there. You could paddle out at Carbis Bay and catch a few foam balls, but it’s honestly not worth the effort. The water’s sitting at 65°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, but that’s about all the good news there. The energy in the water is weak, with combined energy values in the double digits, like 21 on Saturday morning. It’s just not doing anything.

We do see a slight improvement on Wednesday the 12th, with a bit more push from the west-southwest at 3 feet, but the wind is light and it cleans up for the afternoon. It's surfable, but very ordinary. Same with the 16th and 17th – surfable but still just background-level stuff. The energy starts to climb into the low hundreds, but it’s still far from exciting. This is a period for tinkering with your gear, not for getting wet.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Keep your eyes on the 19th and 20th of August. We’ve got a proper pulse of west-northwest swell that swings through. On Wednesday the 19th, expect the swell to build to 7 feet by the morning and 8 feet in the afternoon. The wind is offshore and clean, which is a big plus. The energy combines to a solid 480 on Wednesday morning, jumping to 597 in the afternoon. This is real surf, but at that height, it’s going to be too much for the beginners. You need to know what you’re doing. The period is around 7-8 seconds, so it's a bit short period, and it might be a little walled up at a beach break. This is where Carbis Bay’s setup might get a bit tricky, as the short-period swell could be a bit sectiony, but it’s the best we’ve seen.

Thursday the 20th is the standout. Morning brings 8 feet of west-northwest swell with a clean offshore wind. The energy is cranking at 940, which is strong and powerful. That’s a big day, well into expert territory. Don't even think about it if you're not comfortable in serious, powerful surf. The afternoon drops a touch to 6 feet but the wind swings to a cross-on, which will chop it up a bit, so the morning session is the one to be there for.

After that, it backs right down again. From the 21st onward, we're back to small, weak leftovers with onshore winds. The 22nd and 23rd are small, wind-affected, and just not worth the paddle.

So, to sum it up: don't bother this weekend or the early part of next week. Mark the 19th and the morning of the 20th on your calendar. The 20th looks like the biggest and most powerful, but the 19th has that clean offshore wind. For the more experienced crew, that’s your window. Be patient, it’ll be worth it.

Rusty.

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