Carbis Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Carbis Bay over the next couple of weeks.

First off, I gotta be straight with you – the next 16 days are a real struggle. There’s barely a window that’s worth paddling out for. The water temp is sitting at 65°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit, but that’s about the only good news.

We kick off on Wednesday, August 12th. The morning is a write-off with a messy cross-shore wind and only 3ft of weak, short-period swell. The afternoon cleans up a little with a cross-off breeze and 3ft of swell, but it’s very ordinary. Honestly, you’d be better off doing something else.

Thursday, August 13th, brings a bit more size – 4ft – but the wind is cross-on or cross, and the surf is poor. The combined energy bumps up to 319 on Thursday morning, which is moderate, but the quality just isn’t there.

Friday, August 14th, has a clean morning with a cross-off wind and 3ft of swell, but it’s still deemed poor. The energy is low at 159. Not worth getting excited about.

The whole weekend, August 15th and 16th, is a write-off. Strong onshore winds from the north, lumpy and choppy conditions, and the swell drops to 3ft or less. The energy is weak, around 97-189. This is beginner-to-nothing territory.

Monday, August 17th, is flat. We’re talking 0.7ft to 2ft of messy, weak swell. Forget it.

Now, Tuesday, August 18th, is the closest thing to a standout we’ve got, but it’s still not great. The morning has a fresh offshore wind from the WSW and 5ft of swell, but the period is a short 6 seconds, so it’s going to be choppy and weak. The afternoon sees a bump to 5ft with a cross-off wind, but the period is still short at 7 seconds. The energy is moderate (258). It’s surfable if you’re desperate, but the quality is poor.

From Wednesday, August 19th, right through to the 27th of August, it’s a long, bleak run. The swell is small, the wind is often onshore or cross, and the energy is mostly weak. There are a few days with a clean cross-off breeze, like the 21st and 22nd, but the swell is only 2ft to 2ft. You’d be fighting for a knee-high wave.

The best of a bad bunch is probably Thursday, August 27th. The afternoon brings a 3ft WNW swell with a very long period of 12 seconds and a cross-off breeze. The combined energy jumps to 430, which is solid. But it’s still rated as poor surf conditions. The long period means the waves will have good shape and energy, but at a beach break like Carbis Bay, that long period can make the waves break too straight. It’s a promising but less certain call this far out.

So, the honest truth: there’s nothing here that I’d tell a mate to chase. This is a 16-day stretch where the surf is barely worth a look. If you’re a kite surfer, the strong cross-off winds on some days might be more interesting than a paddle. For the rest of us, it’s a waiting game. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a blank.

Rusty.

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