Croyde Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and sit down, because this is a long one for Croyde. The next two weeks look pretty bleak for paddle surfing, to be honest. There’s surf on the cards, but the wind gods are not playing ball. We’ve got a lot of days where the swell is up, but the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, trashing the surface. It’s a real shame because Croyde is an incredible wave when it's clean. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.

For this coming Saturday, the 29th, we’re looking at a tiny 3ft SW swell with a short period of just 6 seconds and weak energy (73). The wind is a cross-off from the SSE but it’s a fresh 30 km/h breeze. It’s clean but so small and weak you’ll be bobbing around more than surfing. By the afternoon the wind swings onshore from the WSW at 25 km/h, and the swell bumps up to 5ft with a bit more energy (266), but it’s poor surf.

Sunday the 30th is a write-off. A 5ft WSW swell with a bit of period (9 seconds) but cross winds at 25 km/h from the S put a chop on it. Then later in the day a 7ft swell with moderate energy (487) arrives but it’s accompanied by a fresh 30 km/h cross-onshore from the SW and a risk of thunderstorms. No fun for anyone.

Monday the 31st sees the biggest swell of the period, with a 8ft W swell, 9-second period, and strong energy (992). That’s over 8 feet, so only for experts, and unfortunately it’s hammered by a fresh 30 km/h cross-onshore from the NW. The morning is “fresh cross-onshore and lumpy”. It may look interesting for the kite crew, but for a surfer, it’s a skip.

Tuesday the 1st, Wednesday the 2nd, Thursday the 3rd, and Friday the 4th of September are all the same story: consistent swell ranging from 4ft to 7ft, but the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore at 25-35 km/h. The wave comment on every single one reads “poor surf conditions.” A couple of those sessions see the energy climb over 500, but the wind is a dealbreaker. The morning of the 5th of September offers a brief glimmer – a 7ft WSW swell with strong energy (554) under a gentle 15 km/h onshore wind from the WNW. The notes say “marginal”, and that’s about the best you’ll get. It’s not clean.

After that, we drop into a proper lull. From the afternoon of the 5th right through to the 13th of September, the swell fades and the wind stays nasty. There’s one moment on the morning of the 9th of September where things go glassy – a 2ft W swell, 7-second period, weak energy (43), with a light 5 km/h cross-off from the SSE. It would be clean, but there’s almost no wave. It’s a cruel tease.

So, the best on offer? If you are desperate for a paddle, the morning of Saturday the 5th of September is your only real shot, but don’t expect much. It’s a long wait for something that is barely rideable. Otherwise, this is a solid two-week gap where the conditions just aren’t lining up for a good session at Croyde.

Rusty.

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