Fishermans (Rhiw) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough outlook. We’re looking at a sixteen-day run where the surf just doesn’t want to play ball. Fishermans (Rhiw) is a reef set-up, fairly exposed to the swell, but the conditions are just relentless. The water’s sitting at a balmy 65°F, which is a solid 4°F warmer than usual for this time of year – feels like a bath, but that’s about the only good news.

We kick off on Saturday, 29th of August. There’s a tiny 2ft SW swell, but it’s got bugger-all period (6 seconds) and only 20 units of energy. The wind is offshore from the NNE, so it’s glassy clean, but the swell is just too weak to do anything with. It’s a flat, clean pond.

Then we hit a nasty stretch. Sunday the 30th through to the end of the first week is a write-off. The wind is mostly onshore – from the south and southwest – and it’s howling. We’ve got rain showers and even a risk of thunderstorms. The swell tries to pick up, hitting 4ft on Sunday afternoon, but the period drops to a shocking 5 seconds and the energy is only moderate (113). That’s a messy, blown-out sea. The wind stays strong and onshore right through the start of September, with gusts up to 28 mph. The swell gets bigger, up to 7ft on Wednesday the 2nd of September, but with a strong breeze onshore, it’s just a washing machine. The combined energy hits 459 (moderate), but it’s a total mess.

The first week of September is a dead loss. The wind is strong, cross-onshore, and the surf is lumpy and choppy. By Friday the 4th, we’ve got a 7ft swell from the west, but the wind is a strong cross-shore, making it impossible. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The weekend of the 6th and 7th of September? More of the same – strong winds, rain, and blown-out conditions. The swell is there, but the wind kills it every time.

The second week offers a glimmer of hope, but it’s far off. Thursday the 10th of September sees a light breeze from the SSE, with a 3ft SW swell and a period of 8 seconds. The wind is still cross-onshore, but it’s light, so the bump is small. The energy is moderate (112). It’s not great, but it’s the best we’ll see in a while.

Then, on Saturday the 12th of September, we get a proper pulse. The swell jumps to 7ft from the WSW, with a period of 10 seconds, and the combined energy rockets to 981 (strong). That’s a lot of power. But the wind is still a fresh cross-onshore, so it’s going to be lumpy and messy. It’s a big swell, over 8ft, so it’s strictly for experts only. The period is 10-11 seconds, so it’s a groundswell, but with that onshore wind, it’s a battle.

The very last day, Sunday the 13th of September, the wind finally swings offshore from the NW. The swell is small, only 3ft, but it’s clean. The energy is moderate (120). It’s a clean, small day to end the run.

Honestly, there’s no standout session here. The wind is the enemy for almost the entire forecast. If you’re desperate, the 10th of September might give you a few grovelly ones in the morning, and the 12th is a big, powerful, but messy swell for the brave. The 13th has the cleanest conditions, but the swell is tiny.

Keep an eye on the charts, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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