Fistral-South Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s break down the next couple of weeks for Fistral South.

I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – the start is a proper bust. We’re looking at a solid run of poor conditions for the first 10 days or so. The wind is almost always cross-onshore, and the swell is either tiny or short-period junk. The combined energy values are weak, barely getting into double digits for most of that time. It’s a real bummer.

Right now, on Saturday the 18th of July, we’ve got a weak 3ft swell from the north with a period of only 5 seconds, and a 25 km/h cross-onshore wind from the north. It’s choppy and messy. The water temp is sitting at 64°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

Sunday the 19th is flat, with a tiny 0.7ft swell. The wind is offshore from the SE at 25 km/h, but there’s nothing to ride. That pattern of tiny, poor surf sticks with us through the 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 26th of July. The swell heights stay below 3ft, periods are short, and the wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore. The combined energy values are all below 100, just confirming the lack of power.

Now, let’s talk about the one stand-out window. It’s a long way off, so keep that in mind, but things start to look a bit more promising around the end of the month. On Monday, July 27th, we see a jump in swell to 5ft from the west, with a period of 7 seconds. The energy picks up to 239 (weak-to-moderate), but the wind is still cross-onshore from the west at 25 km/h, so it’s going to be choppy. The next day, Tuesday the 28th, is a bit cleaner with a moderate breeze from the NNW, but the swell is still cross-on.

The real standout, though, is Wednesday, July 29th. The morning brings a 6ft swell from the west-northwest, with a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is a solid 303 (moderate). The wind is a light breeze from the west at only 10 km/h, but it’s still cross-onshore. The data calls it "marginal" due to tide, but it’s the best we’ve got. The swell is getting up there, over 5ft, so it’s starting to get a bit much for beginners, but it’s still manageable for intermediates.

The energy keeps building into the end of the month. On Thursday, July 30th, the afternoon swell hits 6ft from the west-northwest with an 8-second period, and the energy jumps to 424 (moderate). Still cross-onshore from the WNW at 15 km/h, but cleaner than before.

And then, Friday, July 31st, is the real prize. The morning shows a 8ft swell from the west-northwest with an 8-second period, and the combined energy is a powerful 671 (strong). The afternoon remains solid at 7ft from the west with a 9-second period and energy of 661 (strong). The wind is a gentle 15 km/h from the west, but it’s cross-onshore, so it won’t be glassy. That said, 8ft is getting into expert territory – it’s going to be a handful for anyone who isn’t very confident. The short period (8 seconds) means it will be a bit walled up and less forgiving, especially at a beach break like Fistral South.

After that, into the first few days of August, the swell drops back down and the wind turns more onshore. The energy is still moderate, but the quality slides back.

So, to wrap it up: the first 10 days are a write-off. The best bet is the window from July 29th to July 31st, with Friday the 31st being the pick of the bunch for strong, powerful waves. But it’s a long-range call, so don’t book the time off just yet. The consistent cross-onshore wind is a real headache, so don’t expect pristine conditions unless you get lucky.

Rusty.

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