Crooklets-Bude Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s happening at Crooklets-Bude for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be honest, the first week and a half is a tough slog. We’re looking at a long stretch of tiny, weak waves with poor conditions. The wind is mostly cross or onshore, and the swell is just not happening. We’re talking about a gap that runs from now all the way through the middle of the month. The energy is low, barely registering in the double digits – one morning has a combined energy of only 6 (very weak). It’s a grim start, but hang in there, because the second week finally shows a little pulse.

The first real hint of something surfable appears on Monday, 17 August. The morning sees a clean-ish cross-shore wind from the NNW at 6 mph, with swell bumping up to 4 ft from the WNW. The period is a decent 10 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 282 (moderate). It’s not perfect – the wind is still a little cross – but it’s the first time we’ve seen size and energy. The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 65°, which is about 3° above average. That’s noticeable but not crazy.

But the real standout – the one you want to circle on your calendar – is Thursday, 20 August. The morning at Crooklets-Bude is looking clean. The wind is going to be glassy, dead calm from the SSW at only 3 mph. That’s major. The swell is a solid 5 ft from the west, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is strong at 312 (moderate-to-strong wave energy). This is the best on offer. The swell direction is straight out of the west, which is exactly the optimum direction for this spot. It’s not too big for intermediates, but at 5 ft, beginners might find it a bit challenging. The water is still a touch warmer than average for the date. Crowds are likely here, as it’s often busy, but with these conditions, it’ll be worth the company.

The Friday morning, 21 August is also worth a mention – glassy again with a light southerly wind, and a 4 ft west swell at 9 seconds. The energy is 201 (moderate). It’s a smaller, cleaner option if the Thursday crowd is too much. The wind is perfect, but the waves are a bit more ordinary.

So, the takeaway: the first 10 days are a write-off. Tiny, weak, messy. Then from the 17th, things start to wake up. The 20th is the clear winner. Don’t sleep on that Thursday.

Rusty.

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