Fistral-North 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.

Honestly, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough one. The next week and a half is looking pretty grim for the most part. We’ve got a whole lot of wind and messy conditions, and not a lot of quality. The surf picks up in size, but the wind just ruins it. There’s a little window of hope right at the very end, but it’s a long way off.

We start this Friday morning, the 28th of August, at Fistral-North (Cornwall, UK). The morning is a cross-offshore wind, but the swell is a weak 3ft from the WSW with a short period of 5 seconds. The combined energy is a measly 74, so there’s no power in the water. It’s just a poor, lumpy setup. Friday afternoon isn’t any better – 5ft from the same direction, but a cross-shore wind of 22 mph chops it up completely.

Saturday the 29th is a write-off. The morning has a near gale cross-shore wind at 34 mph and 5ft of swell. The energy is moderate (248), but it’s a mess. Saturday afternoon gets even bigger – 12ft from the WSW with a 9-second period – but the wind is a strong cross-onshore at 28 mph. That’s a lot of energy (1872) but it’s blowing out, turning Fistral into a washing machine. That’s expert-only, and even they’ll be fighting the wind.

Sunday the 30th morning finally shows a glimpse of what could be. A clean 6ft swell from the west with a 9-second period, and a cross-offshore breeze. The energy is moderate (473). But the score is still a zero, so it’s still considered poor. By afternoon, the wind swings cross-shore again and the lump returns.

The whole of the first week, into the start of September, is a story of wind and chop. Monday the 31st has a 10ft swell from the west with a 10-second period, plenty of energy (1476), but the wind is onshore at 19 mph. That’s a big, messy, blown-out wave. Not for the faint-hearted.

Things don’t really improve. The waves drop in size, the wind stays onshore or cross-shore, and the scores stay at zero. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

There’s a gap of several days where the recommendations are just non-existent. The best you can say is the wind might be lighter on Wednesday the 2nd of September morning, but the swell is only 3ft with a 5-second period and an onshore wind. It’s not worth paddling out for.

It’s not until the 8th of September, a Tuesday, that we get a tiny flicker of hope. The morning has a 2ft swell from the west with an 8-second period, and for the first time, a clean cross-offshore wind from the ENE at 6 mph. The energy is weak (54). The note says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” It’s the only score of 1 out of 10 in the whole run. It’s not a standout, but it’s the best on offer.

Then, the 9th of September (Wednesday morning) has a clean 5ft from the WSW with a cross-offshore wind, but it’s still a short period of 6 seconds and the energy is only 140. The score is a zero. Later that day, the swell jumps to 8ft with a longer 8-second period, still clean, and the energy is strong (850). The score is a 1 out of 10, which is the best in the whole 16-day window. This is your one true standout, but it’s still a “marginal” call. For a bigger, cleaner swell, this is the best bet, but it’s for the more experienced crew.

After that, it all goes sideways again. The 10th and 11th of September are blown out by near gale-force winds. The very last day, Saturday the 12th of September, has a 2ft swell from the west with a long 9-second period and a light onshore. It’s tiny.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a washout. The second week has one moment on the 9th of September that looks promising for experienced surfers, but it’s a long-range call. Keep an eye on it, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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