Fistral-South Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at the next couple of weeks along this stretch of coast. It’s a bit of a slow start, so don’t get too excited just yet, but there’s a proper pulse of energy brewing for the end of the run. Let’s break it down.

Overall Picture

The first week is pretty lacklustre, to be honest. We’ve got a long gap of small, weak, and often choppy conditions from Monday 6th July right through until the middle of the following week. The combined swell energy is mostly weak, sitting under 100 (e.g., 64 to 127) for days on end, with a few brief spells of moderate energy (101 to 165) but nothing that really fires up the lineup. Water temp is sitting around 61°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Monday 6th July to Tuesday 7th July

Forget it. Monday morning sees a tiny 3 ft swell from the west with a short 9-second period, but it’s cross-on and ugly. Combined energy is a weak 101. Monday afternoon drops to 3 ft with 8-second period, still cross-on. Tuesday is smaller again at 2 ft, still cross-on or onshore. Just leave the board in the car.

Wednesday 8th July

Wednesday morning is the first real glimmer. The wind goes glassy, dead calm (3 mph from the NNW), and we’ve got a 2 ft west swell with a 9-second period. The waves are surfable but ordinary, and the combined energy is only 90, so it’s tiny. For a complete beginner or someone desperate for a glide, it might be worth a paddle, but the afternoon turns cross-on again, so it’s a narrow window.

Thursday 9th July to Friday 10th July

Thursday is another write-off. Cross-on winds and small, weak swells. Friday is a step up – we get a clean cross-off breeze from the ENE at 9 mph, with a 3 ft west swell (9-second period). Combined energy hits a modest 132. It’s clean, but the waves are still very ordinary. A better day for a longboard cruise than a proper session.

Saturday 11th July to Sunday 12th July

Saturday morning is cross-off but with a 16 mph breeze, making the 2 ft swell pretty marginal. Saturday afternoon offers a little hope: a 4 ft swell from the NNW with a short 7-second period, clean cross-off winds. Energy jumps to 165, which is moderate but not special. Sunday goes flat again – tiny 1.0 ft and 0.3 ft swells, not worth a look.

Monday 13th July to Thursday 16th July

A big dead zone. Swells are tiny, often under 2 ft, with weak energy (16 to 52). Winds are clean but the ocean is flat. You’d be better off doing yard work. On Thursday 16th July, the morning finally delivers something: a 3 ft WSW swell with a short 6-second period, but with a clean offshore breeze from the SE at 12 mph. Combined energy is 104. It’s surfable, but the afternoon turns onshore and messy. Not a standout, but the first real sign of life.

Friday 17th July to Sunday 19th July

The swell starts to build. Friday morning has a 5 ft west swell (9-second period) with light cross-on winds. Energy jumps to 386 – moderate to strong. But the winds are light cross-onshore, so it’s a bit lumpy. Saturday brings a 7 ft WSW swell (8-second period) with cross-on winds, energy at 484. This is too big for beginners and the wind is messy, so it’s only for the experienced crew who don’t mind chop. Sunday drops back to 5 ft, still onshore and weak.

The Standout: Monday 20th July to Tuesday 21st July

This is the one we’ve been waiting for. Fistral-South on Monday 20th July morning is where it’s at. A solid 8 ft west swell with an 8-second period – that’s big, powerful, and short-period, meaning it’ll be dumping hard. Combined energy is a serious 809, which is strong. The wind is a gentle cross-shore from the NE at 9 mph, which will keep it a bit lumpy but workable. This is expert territory only – if you’re not confident in overhead, heaving waves, sit this one out.

But the absolute best of the entire run? Tuesday 21st July morning. Same 8 ft west swell (9-second period), but the wind switches to a fresh offshore from the ESE at 19 mph. That’s clean, clean, clean. Combined energy rockets to 1056 – very strong. The waves will be big, powerful, and well-shaped by that offshore wind. This is as good as it gets for the big-wave crew. Expect strong rip currents and big sets. It’s a proper groundswell period, so the longer-period energy (9 seconds, but building) will push through with some serious grunt.

Crowds: All week, crowds are listed as “often” at Fistral-South, so expect company, especially on that Tuesday morning.

Final Word

The first 10 days are a write-off. Don’t even bother until Friday 17th if you’re desperate, but the real gold is Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st July. Tuesday morning with that offshore wind is the clear winner. Get on it.

Rusty.

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