Mablethorpe Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what’s cookin’ for Mablethorpe.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – this is one of those outlooks where the surf report is more about what’s *not* happening. The whole 16-day window is a tough one. We’ve got a long stretch of poor surf conditions, and honestly, the only wave worth paddling for comes up on Sunday the 23rd of August, and even then, you’ve got to manage your expectations. Outside of that, the rest of the run is flat or blown out.

Let’s break it down. The week kicks off proper on Saturday the 22nd of August morning. We get a 4ft swell from the north with a short, weak 8-second period. Combined wave energy is moderate at best (177). The problem? It's a strong cross-shore wind at 15 mph, making a mess of things. The water is sitting at a very unusual 68°, which is much warmer than normal for the time of year, but it does nothing for the junk surf. The afternoon doesn't get any better – smaller at 3ft and still crossed up.

Then comes the only bright spot, and it's a small one. Sunday morning the 23rd of August. The swell drops to 3ft from the NNE, still a short 8 seconds, but the key change is the wind. It swings to a light 6 mph SSW, turning cross-offshore and cleaning things up. The energy is weak (87), but it’s surfable if you are a beginner or just need to get wet. Consistency is an issue here – Mablethorpe is known to be inconsistent.

After that morning window, it’s all downhill. Sunday afternoon the wind swings onshore, and from Monday the 24th through to Thursday the 28th of August, we get a mix of onshore and cross-onshore winds with swell energy dropping to weak numbers (between 5 and 64). The swell is tiny, short period, and choppy. Not worth a look.

We get a tease of offshore winds on the 29th and 31st of August, but by then the swell is pathetic – 1ft to 2ft, with barely any energy (16). Fresh offshore wind will make the surface clean, but you need a wave to surf, and there just isn't one.

The first week of September is more of the same. Flat, tiny, or non-existent. By the 6th of September, we finally get a little 1ft pulse from the north with a 7-second period, but the wind is howling at 22 mph. That’s a kite-surfing setup, not a paddling one.

So, if you are a beginner and desperate for a splash, the stand-out – and pretty much the only nod – is Sunday morning the 23rd of August. Small, weak, but clean. The rest of the window is a write-off. Keep your eyes on the charts, because it tends not to stay this poor forever, but for now, shelve the shortboard.

Rusty

Read more