Crooklets-Bude Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a long stretch ahead that’s gonna be a tough one for the paddle crew. The swell is there, but the wind is just not playing ball for most of the window. Let’s break it down.

We start off on Saturday, September 5th. The swell is around 4 ft from the west, with a period of 10 seconds, giving us a moderate energy of 350. But the wind is onshore from the WNW, and it’s choppy. It’s a no-go from the start. This pattern sticks around for days. The wind is onshore or cross-onshore almost every day, and that swell keeps getting knocked around. By Sunday morning, the wind swings to a cross-offshore from the SSE, but the swell drops to 2 ft and the energy is weak (60). It’s just not worth suiting up.

Monday, September 7th, we see a bigger pulse of swell hit 7 ft from the west, and the period jumps to 13 seconds. The energy is cranking at 1487. But here’s the heartbreaker – the wind is howling onshore from the west at 15 mph. It’s blown out, messy, and for the experienced surfers, that’s still a no-go. Monday afternoon is the same story with 7 ft swell and 1148 energy, but still onshore. This is a case where the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The whole first week is a grind. Tuesday through Friday, the swell stays between 4 ft and 6 ft, but the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, keeping the surf poor. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no complaints there.

Now, we finally get a glimmer of hope. By Sunday, September 13th, the wind turns offshore from the east-northeast at 18 mph. The swell is tiny at 2 ft from the west, with a period of 10 seconds, but the energy is weak (70). It’s clean, but it’s a dribbler. The best of the whole run hits on Monday, September 14th. The wind is offshore from the east at 9 mph, and the sun is out. The swell is only 1 ft from the west, with a period of 8 seconds, and the energy is a paltry 14. It’s ankle-biters, but it’s clean. For a true beginner, this is the one moment where you can get a few fun, small waves.

Tuesday, September 15th morning, it goes glassy – wind from the northeast at 3 mph, and the swell is 2 ft from the west-northwest. The energy is still weak (45), but the period is a super short 5 seconds. It’s clean, but it’s going to be a bit of a close-out shorebreak. Not great for paddle surfing.

The second week falls apart again. The wind picks up out of the south and southwest, with strong cross-onshore and cross-shore winds. The swell drops to 1 ft to 2 ft, and the energy is in the weak teens and twenties. By Friday, September 18th, the wind is a strong breeze from the south at 28 mph, and the surf is a complete mess. The last few days of the 16-day window have a few glassy moments, but the swell is gone.

The standout: If you’re desperate, the best on offer is Tuesday, September 15th morning at Crooklets-Bude. It’s glassy with a little 2 ft swell. It’s not a classic, but it’s the only clean window. For the rest of it, this is a blank run for the area. The forecasts can change, but right now, the paddle board stays in the car.

Rusty.

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