Fistral-North Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you, the early part of this period is a real struggle. The first session worth talking about doesn’t show up until Sunday the 13th of September, and even then it’s a bit of a tease.

For the first few days, we’ve got some swell around Fistral-North, but the wind is just wrecking it. Westerly swell pushing in around 5ft but with a NW wind straight onshore, it’s messy and not worth paddling out. Thursday the 10th has a bit more size, 6ft from the WSW, but a fresh breeze from the SSW is making it cross-off and choppy. Friday’s the same old story – clean lines but onshore wind again. By Saturday the 12th, the swell pushes up to 6ft from the west, but that wind swings to the WSW, hitting 19 mph and turning it into a lumpy, cross-shore mess. That sort of energy tells you there’s power there, but the conditions are cooked.

So, the wait continues until Sunday morning, the 13th. We finally get a bit of a break. A light breeze from the NW, straight onshore still, but the swell is 4ft from the west with a 10-second period. It’s marginal, to be fair. The energy is moderate, but you might find a clean-ish one if you’re keen and the tide is right. It’s not going to be epic, but after nothing, it’s something. The water temp is sitting around average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

Then another quiet spell. Monday and Tuesday are small and weak, with onshore or cross-shore breezes. The swell drops right off – energy on Tuesday the 15th is only low – and the conditions are just ordinary. Not the time to get excited.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Wednesday the 16th of September. The morning looks promising with a solid 7ft west swell, a fresh offshore from the SE at 19 mph, and clean conditions. Energy is strong. That is a proper window, but it’s a bit of a beast for the intermediates. Anything over 8ft and it’s expert territory. The afternoon, though, ramps up even more – a 10ft west swell with a 10-second period and the energy is very strong. That is a lot of water moving around. The wind is cross-off from the SW, and it stays clean, but honestly, for the average surfer, that’s going to be massive at Fistral-North. It’s so big it might even be more interesting for the kite crew than paddle surfing. If you are an expert, that afternoon session on the 16th is your standout, but it’s a serious step up.

After that, it drops off again. The rest of the week into the weekend is messy, with cross-onshore winds and choppy faces. Not worth rushing out for.

But hold on. Look at Saturday the 19th of September. A beautiful morning: offshore from the SE at 6 mph, glassy, with a 4ft west swell running an 11-second period. The energy is solid. That is a genuinely good-looking morning. The swell direction is from the west, which is close to the optimum WSW for this spot. It’s consistent and the crowd factor is “often”, so you’ll have company, but with clean lines and light wind, it’s going to be fun for the intermediates. That is the pick of the entire run for the average surfer.

The following week tails off into small, clean but gutless days. Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd have cross-offshore winds, but the swell is tiny – 2ft to 1ft – with energy barely above weak. Not much to work with.

Then a final flash on Wednesday the 23rd of September. Another promising day. A good 3ft northwest swell in the morning, building to 8ft in the afternoon, with a long 13-second period and a cross-offshore from the east. That afternoon session has strong energy, which is powerful. The long period means the sets will be fat and lined up, but at a beach break like this, it can make it a bit straight. It’s worth a look for the experts, especially if you can get an early one before the tide shifts.

So, to wrap it up: the best on offer is the morning of Saturday the 19th September – clean, offshore, fun-sized swell for intermediates. For the big-wave hunters, the afternoon of Wednesday the 16th September is the one, but it’s only for the brave. The rest of the window is a waiting game with a lot of flat spells.

Rusty.

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