Croyde Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break down this stretch of coast. It’s a tough one for the next couple of weeks. The first ten days or so are looking pretty miserable for a proper paddle, with the wind and swell just not playing nice. There’s a real gap in decent surf here, with hardly anything worth getting wet for until we get into the first week of August.

We start off on Saturday the 25th of July with a tiny, choppy 2ft swell from the WNW, but it’s ruined by a cross-onshore breeze. The following days are much the same story – Sunday the 26th has a bit more size, around 6ft, but it’s blown out by a fresh cross-onshore wind, making it lumpy and unappealing. The wave energy is moderate (262), but the quality is just not there. The wind stays onshore or cross-onshore through the rest of July, with only tiny, weak swells on offer. A real flat spell.

Now, there is a tiny glimmer of hope on Friday the 31st of July. We’ll see a small 5ft swell from the SW pushing in, and importantly, the wind swings to a light cross-offshore breeze. The conditions will be clean, and the wave energy is moderate (155). It’s not going to be epic, but it’s the first surfable wave we’ve seen in a while. It’s an option for a quick session if you’re desperate.

But the real standout, the one that’s got my heart racing a little, is tucked away on Wednesday the 5th of August. The forecast is showing a very large 10ft groundswell from the WSW, with a long period of 9 seconds. The combined wave energy is massive (1502), and the wind is forecast to be glassy calm in the morning. This is a proper big swell event. However, for Croyde, this is a serious caveat. At this size, the wave is going to be too big for the break, really only for the most experienced, expert-level surfers. The power will be immense, and the rip will be pulling hard. It’s a humbling kind of day, not one for the faint-hearted. The clean, glassy conditions are a massive positive, but the size is the overriding factor here.

The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no need to worry about a silly thick wetsuit just yet.

After that, it settles back down into a messy, onshore pattern for the second week, with nothing else that really stands out as a goer.

So, to sum it up: the run up to the first week of August is a write-off. Friday the 31st offers a small, clean window. The big event on the 5th of August is for experts only. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game. Keep an eye on the charts, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty

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