Fistral-South Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a proper look at the next couple of weeks at Fistral-South.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a frustrating run for the most part. The first week is pretty grim, with a lot of rubbish conditions. There’s a real bright spot, though, towards the start of August if you’ve got the patience.

For the next several days it’s onshore and messy. We’ve got a fair bit of wind from the north and northwest making things lumpy and choppy. The swell is small and weak, with a lot of these short-period 5-6 second waves that just don’t have any punch. The combined wave energy is often below 100 (73), so it’s weak and unorganised. Water temperature is sitting at 64°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

There’s a tiny window on the morning of the 23rd when the wind goes glassy from the ENE. The swell is only 3 ft from the NNW with a 6-second period and energy of 76. It’s surfable, but ordinary. You’d get a few crumbly ones if you’re desperate. Then it’s back to the onshore grind.

The weekend of the 26th and 27th sees the swell size pick up, but it’s all onshore wind from the NW and WNW. Saturday afternoon pushes 5 ft with a 6-second period and energy hitting 150 (moderate), but a fresh cross-onshore breeze ruins it. By Sunday morning, the swell is 7 ft from the WNW with a 7-second period and energy at 482 (strong), but it’s blowing onshore at 22 mph - that’s for experts only and even then it’s onshore slop.

The consistent theme here is poor surf conditions scores through the 30th of July.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. After a long, quiet spell, the standout arrives on Sunday, the 2nd of August. The morning brings a clean 6 ft swell from the WSW, with a 7-second period and energy at 312 (moderate). But the real story is the wind: SSE at 9 mph, which is offshore and glassy off the land. That’s going to clean the lines right up. The afternoon holds at 6 ft from the west with an 8-second period, still offshore from the SSE at 12 mph, with energy rising to 443 (strong). This is the best on offer by a country mile. Fistral-South is a fairly exposed break, WSW is the optimum, and this is right on it with offshore wind. It could get a little crowded as it often does, but for clean, head-high plus waves with power, that’s your window.

After that, Monday and Tuesday the 3rd and 4th fade with onshore and cross-shore winds again. There’s a final flash of hope on Wednesday morning, the 5th of August, with light winds from the south and a glassy surface, but the swell is down to 3 ft. You might get a fun, clean little wave but it’s small.

So, in summary: a long, frustrating run of choppy, onshore junk until Sunday, the 2nd of August. That day is the real standout – clean, offshore, solid waves. Everything else is best left for a walk on the beach.

Rusty.

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