Fistral-North Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then. Fistral-North, you’re all I’ve got to work with for this stretch, and to be honest, it’s a bit of a test of patience. The forecast is a long, flat spell with a few late pulses of energy that could fire up if the stars align, but we’ve got to wade through a lot of quiet days first.

We’re kicking off on the 6th of August, and straight away, it’s tough. The water is sitting at 66°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only thing going for it. The swell is tiny – we’re talking 3ft of wind swell from the west, a weak little 6-second period, and a combined energy of just 91 – that’s flat-out weak. The wind is onshore from the northwest, and it’s making a mess of things. There’s a real blank run ahead. From Thursday the 6th right through to the morning of Sunday the 16th, the waves are just not there. We’re looking at over a week of ankle-biters and flat spells, with the combined energy barely cracking triple digits on a couple of days. It’s a proper dry spell for the paddle.

Then, finally, on the morning of Sunday the 16th of August, there’s a flicker of life. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the west, still a short 8-second period, but the combined energy hits 294 – that’s moderate. The real beauty is the wind: glassy, from the west-northwest at just 3 mph. That’s clean. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions,” and while it’s not a massive swell, that glassy window on a 5ft wave will have some fun, punchy lines. This is the standout of the whole outlook. But be warned, the afternoon turns onshore and choppy again, so that morning window is the one to chase.

After that, Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th are a write-off with fresh onshore winds and lumpy, blown-out conditions. The energy drops off again.

Now, here’s the interesting part. The 19th of August, Wednesday morning, sees a big jump in energy. The combined swell energy hits 671 – that’s strong. The swell is 8ft from the west-northwest, with an 8-second period. That’s a solid, powerful wave. The wind is offshore from the southwest at 16 mph, which is a cross-offshore, so it will be clean. But, I have to be straight with you: 8ft is getting into expert territory. It’s a punchy, powerful shorebreak on a beach break, and with that short period, it’ll be a bit of a washing machine. The morning session is marked as “marginal,” likely due to the size and power. And the afternoon gets a proper thrashing from the wind. This one is for the big-wave crew only, and there’s a question mark over the quality.

The 20th of August, Thursday, is another big day. 8ft from the west again, combined energy of 706 – very strong. The morning wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s ridable but not pristine. Again, that’s a big, powerful wave that’s not for the faint-hearted. The morning is rated “marginal,” and the afternoon is a choppy mess.

So, the honest truth? For the next week and a half, there’s nothing to get excited about. The only real standout is the morning session on Sunday the 16th. That’s your best bet for a clean, fun, intermediate-friendly wave. The later big pulses on the 19th and 20th are for experts only, and they come with caveats.

Hang in there, it’ll turn.

Rusty.

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