Inchydoney Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get real about Inchydoney. I’m not gonna sugarcoat it, mate. This is a tough stretch of forecasts.

Honestly, we’re looking at a brutal run of almost no surf to speak of for the next week or so. From now through the first week of August, the swell is tiny, barely a ripple. You’ll see heights of 0.3ft to 0.7ft most days, and even when the energy bumps up a little, the period is short and the wave quality is just poor. It’s a flat spell, plain and simple. The combined wave energy stays weak, often in the teens or twenties, barely cracking 100 until late in the month.

The first real pulse of energy worth getting out of bed for might show up around Monday the 27th of July. The morning sees a 3ft swell from the SW, with a period of 6 seconds, and the wind is cross-off from the west, making it clean. The combined energy hits 74 – still moderate, but it’s a glimmer. By the afternoon, the swell bumps to 4ft from the WSW, and the energy jumps to 119 (moderate energy), but the wind shifts to a cross-shore, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. It’s not a standout, but it’s the best we’ve got.

Then, on Thursday the 30th of July, we get another bump. The morning shows 4ft of swell from the WSW, period 7 seconds, with a combined energy of 139 (moderate). The wind is cross-on from the WSW, so it’s choppy. The afternoon is similar, 4ft swell, 123 energy, but still a cross-shore wind. This is still not great surf, but it’s the most push we’ll see in the whole outlook.

The tricky part: Inchydoney is a sheltered river mouth, best on a SW swell. While the direction is about right, the period is always short, under 8 seconds, so the waves won’t have much shape or power. That 4ft is just about too big for a beginner, but for an experienced surfer, it’s mostly just messy.

The water temperature is sitting at 64°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick suit.

Bottom line: There’s no standout session in this whole 16-day window. If you’re desperate, the 27th and 30th of July are the only days with even a pulse of swell, but the wind and short period will keep it from being good. I’d say it’s more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer on those days with the cross-shore winds. Otherwise, it’s a long wait for a proper wave.

Rusty

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