Croyde Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Croyde. I gotta be straight with you – this outlook is a bit of a mixed bag, and for a stretch there, it’s going to feel like the ocean just switched off.

Right now, and through the end of August and into the first week of September, we’ve got waves, no doubt about it, but the quality is a different story. The wind is the main villain here. For Thursday the 27th, there’s a tiny 1.0ft swell from the west with a short period, but with a cross-offshore breeze in the morning, it's too weak to do anything with. Then it turns onshore in the afternoon.

From Friday the 28th of August through to the 4th of September, we see a pulse of swell – heights bounce between 2ft and 8ft, with longer periods occasionally hitting 9-10 seconds. But it’s all pointing onshore or cross-onshore, mostly out of the WSW and WNW. The wind cranks up to strong breeze at times, just ruining the surface. It’s going to be lumpy, choppy, and messy. The water temp at the start is sitting at 67°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit if you’re just getting a soggy paddle.

The combined energy figures tell a story of their own. We go from weak (14-18) up to moderate (211-388) and even into strong territory (512-1184), but it doesn’t matter when the wind is against you. This is a classic case of "plenty of ocean, no good waves." On Monday the 31st, we hit 8ft from the west with a 10-second period, and the energy is a very strong 1184 – but it’s all onshore. That’s frustrating. It’s a beach setup, and with these conditions, it honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

A big chunk of the first week of September is a write-off. From the first through the 4th, it’s poor, poor, and poor. Don’t bother.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting, but a bit wild. On Saturday, the 5th of September, we get a momentary window. The morning shows a chunky 10ft swell from the WSW – combined energy is a massive 991 – and for once we have light, variable wind from the north. That’s a recipe for something special. However, that swell is too big for this break. This is for experts only, and even then, conditions might be maxing out the beach. The afternoon settles down to 7ft from the west with glassy conditions (Slight air from the SSW), which is a much better bet for a capable intermediate. This Saturday is your standout. Croyde is an exposed spot, and when it gets a solid west swell with clean winds, it can fire.

Then it gets messy again from the 6th, with strong winds and lumpy surf. We get another pulse around the 7th of September: 8ft from the west with a moderate period. The wind for that Monday morning is a light southerly, which is cross-shore, giving some workable shape. But the afternoon turns into a gale. That morning might offer a window for the brave, but it’s marginal.

The next ten days from the 7th onwards are just a steady stream of moderate to fresh winds and poor conditions. The swell sticks around in the 3ft to 5ft range, but it’s battling the wind every step of the way. There’s no clear, clean day in that second week to get excited about.

So, to wrap it up: the early part is a write-off. Your best bet is Saturday, the 5th of September. The morning is for experts only with that 10ft swell, but the afternoon glass-off with 7ft from the west is as good as it gets in this forecast. Keep an eye on the 7th of September morning, too, as a possible sneaky session, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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