Fistral-North Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Fistral-North. It’s a bit of a tough stretch, to be honest. The first few days are blown out and messy, so we’ve got a long gap of poor conditions before anything worth paddling out for shows up. We’re looking at a solid block of poor quality from the start right through until Friday the 5th of September. After that, things calm down a bit, but the swell drops right away.

Sunday the 30th of August kicks off with a 5ft WSW swell at 9 seconds, but that cross-off wind at 19 mph and the fresh breeze have it labelled as poor. The combined swell energy is moderate at best (366), and the water’s a touch warmer than normal at 65°. It just looks choppy and uninviting all day Monday and Tuesday, with bigger swell but onshore winds keeping everything ugly. On Monday the 31st, we’ve got a 10ft W swell with direct onshore wind – that’s over 8ft, so only for experts, but with the wind junking it up, it’s not even worth it for them. The combined energy spikes to strong (1386), but it’s a write-off.

That poor run continues day after day – cross-onshore, lumpy, fresh breezes. The swell stays between 5ft and 10ft through the first week, but the wind never plays ball. Even Wednesday the 3rd of September with a 5ft WSW swell and moderate wind, it’s still cross-onshore and choppy. Friday the 4th of September sees another big 10ft WNW pulse and strong energy (1422), but again, it’s cross-onshore and fresh. This setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, honestly.

Finally, on Sunday the 6th of September, we get a brief glimmer. The swell has dropped to just 2ft from the west with a short 6-second period, and the wind swings offshore from the SSE at 16 mph. The wave comment says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions" – it’s clean, but tiny. The combined energy is weak (82). This is the first true standout in the whole outlook. It’s a small window of clean, small waves – best for a longboard or a log, and it’ll be uncrowded if you’re out early. The break is consistent here, so even though it’s small, it’s worth a paddle.

Monday the 7th of September sees a 5ft W swell at a very long 12-second period, but with cross-shore winds and a gentle breeze, it’s only a marginal call. That long period will be better shaped at Fistral compared to a beach break, but the cross-chop will still mess with it. The combined energy is moderate (692). After that, the following days drop off fast into the 1ft to 3ft range, with mostly cross-on winds and poor quality. Saturday the 12th of September has a 3ft W swell at 11 seconds and light cross-off wind, giving clean conditions but tiny waves (combined energy 184). It’s surfable but nothing to get excited about.

The outlook from the 10th of September onwards is slim pickings – small swell, poor quality, and the combined energy dips into the double digits (29, 27, 16). The 13th and 14th of September have clean conditions but the swell is barely there, maxing out at 3ft and 2ft.

So, the honest truth is: don’t hold your breath for the first week. Sunday the 6th of September morning is your best bet – small but clean with offshore wind. After that, it’s small and mostly ordinary. The second week looks even quieter, with only the 12th of September morning offering a clean but very small window.

Rusty.

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