Fistral-South Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here with a look at the next couple of weeks for Fistral-South. I gotta be straight with you – for the most part, this forecast is a bit of a tough pill to swallow. We’re looking at a long, dry spell of poor surf conditions stretching from now almost all the way through to the end of the week after next. The wind is just a mess, mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell is tiny and weak. It’s one of those quiet periods where you might as well polish your board and wait.

We kick off this morning, the 11th of August, with a light offshore breeze from the SE, but the swell is barely a ripple – 1ft from the WNW with a short period of 8 seconds and combined energy of just 28 (weak). It's clean, sure, but there's nothing to ride.

That pattern just continues day after day. Wednesday the 12th brings a tiny bump to 3ft from the west, but the wind swings cross-shore. The combined energy climbs slightly to 126 (moderate), but it’s still poor. Thursday the 13th sees the swell push to 4ft from the WNW with a period of 11 seconds and a combined energy of 267 (moderate), but a strong onshore wind from the NNW just destroys any chance of a wave. It’s the same story right through the 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th. The swell height teases between 1ft and 4ft, but the wind is always wrong – onshore, cross-onshore, or a stiff cross-breeze. The water temp is about average for this time of year, but you wouldn't want to be out there.

Now, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s a long way off, so treat this as promising but not set in stone. On Friday the 21st of August, things finally line up. We’ve got a clean, offshore breeze from the ESE with a light breeze. The swell jumps to a proper 6ft in the morning from the WNW, with a period of just 7 seconds, and a combined energy of 411 (strong). By the afternoon it's pushing 7ft from the west with 8-second period and a combined energy of 598 (strong). That’s some serious size – too much for beginners, but solid for experienced surfers. The wind is offshore and light, so it should be clean. However, keep in mind that the period is short (under 8 seconds), so it’s a windswell-charged affair, not a long, grinding groundswell. Plus, with it being a fairly exposed beach break, it’s a spot where crowds are likely.

After that brief window, Saturday the 22nd of August sees the wind turn back onshore from the west, turning the surf messy with a choppy cross-onshore wind, and the swell slowly fades into the following week.

So, to sum it up: the only real standout is Friday the 21st of August at Fistral-South. It’s the only day with clean conditions and proper swell. Everything else is a washout. If that forecast holds, it’ll be worth the wait, but don’t hold your breath for the rest of it.

Rusty.

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