Croyde Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a slow start to be honest, but we’ve got a few interesting days lurking further out. The water temp is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

First up, Saturday morning 22 August at Croyde. We’re looking at a tiny 1ft swell from the WSW with a period of 10 seconds. The energy is weak (63). But the magic here is the wind: a gentle 9 mph offshore from the ENE. That’ll have the place looking clean as a whistle, with some fun, gentle lines. It’s not going to be big, but for a cruisy session on a log or a mid-length, this is the best of the opening day. Just a heads up, Croyde can get busy, especially in the summer, so expect the car park to be filling up.

The rest of the weekend and into the middle of next week is pretty flat and unremarkable. We’ve got a run of days from Sunday 23 August through to Wednesday 26 August where the swell is barely registering, with heights between 0.3ft and 1ft. The wind is often offshore or clean, but there’s simply no water moving. It’s a solid gap of nothing worth paddling out for.

Things start to look a bit more interesting on Thursday 27 August. The swell jumps to 6ft from the WSW with a short period of 8 seconds. The energy is moderate (463), but the wind is a gentle cross-shore from the S, which will hold it together reasonably well. It’s a bit raw and short-period, but there will be some punchy, dumpy wedges for the experienced crew. Not a beginner’s wave at this size. The afternoon on that day turns onshore and messy.

Then we hit a proper standout. Wednesday 2 September – mark it in the calendar. The swell builds to 7ft from the WSW, with an improving period of 10 seconds. The energy is strong (889). By the afternoon, it’s pushing 8ft with a period of 10 seconds and very strong energy (1118). The wind is a light cross-onshore from the SW. It’s going to be a big, powerful day. This is too big for beginners; it’s expert territory, especially as the day goes on.

The real blower comes on Thursday 3 September. The morning session is packing a solid 10ft swell from the WSW with a period of 11 seconds. The energy is immense (3717). This is a serious groundswell. It is going to be a massive, powerful, and intimidating day. The wind is a moderate cross-shore from the S, which will keep the walls from just closing out, but make no mistake, this is for very experienced surfers only. The sheer size will make paddling out a mission. For the average punter, it’s a day to watch from the cliffs.

After that, the swell drops back down. Friday 4 September offers a much more manageable 6ft from the WSW, but the winds are light and cross-onshore, so it won’t be as clean as you’d hope. The following weekend fades back into small, disorganised swell.

If you’ve got the skills, the window from Wednesday 2 September morning through to Thursday 3 September morning is the heavy stuff to aim for, but it’s a long-range call and conditions could shift. For a safe, fun bet, that Saturday morning 22 August is your winner, even if it’s small.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty

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