Maenporth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what Maenporth’s got lined up for us over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s not looking like a classic spell for this corner of the coast. The water’s sitting at 66°, which is a touch warmer than usual for the time of year, so that’s a small comfort if you’re just having a paddle.

The next few days are a write-off for any real surfing. Monday afternoon (10th August) we’ve got a tiny 1ft south-west swell with a short period, and the wind is cross-off but the energy is a paltry (15). It’s just not happening. Tuesday and Wednesday are the same story – small, weak, and mostly cross-onshore, so you’d be battling chop for nothing. The only real moment of hope this week comes on Wednesday afternoon (12th August) when it goes glassy, but that 3ft swell is still too weak and the combined energy is only (180). It’s a pretty wave to look at, but there’s no push in it. Thursday morning (13th August) we finally get some proper offshore wind from the NW, and the swell bumps up to 4ft with a 11-second period from the WSW, giving us a moderate energy reading of (301). That’s the first sniff of something surfable, but even then the rating says it’s very ordinary. You’d get a few slow ones, but don’t expect fireworks.

After that, it all drops away again. From Friday (14th August) right through to Saturday the 23rd, we’re looking at a long stretch of tiny, weak swell – mostly under 1ft and with combined energy barely breaking (30). A lot of those days have cross-off or offshore winds, so it’ll be clean and flat. There’s a glimmer on Sunday the 23rd afternoon when a 2ft WSW groundswell rolls in with a long 18-second period and light offshore NW wind. The combined energy jumps to (195), and it’s clean. The period is long enough that at a sheltered spot like Maenporth it might just wrap in and offer a few chest-high lines, but it’s still on the small side for most.

The one that might get you out of bed is Monday the 24th. The morning looks onshore and messy, but by Monday afternoon the wind goes glassy from the SSE, and we’ve got a 3ft WSW swell with a 12-second period and combined energy hitting (351). That’s the most energy we see in the whole run. The swell direction is WSW, which is fine, but the optimum for Maenporth is SSE, so it’s not quite lining up perfectly. Still, for this stretch, that afternoon is the standout. Expect a few waist-to-chest high sets, clean as a whistle. It’s surfable, but it’s not a day to call in sick for.

Honestly, if you’re a beginner, this whole period is pretty tame – nothing goes over 5ft, so you won’t be out of your depth. But for anyone wanting proper waves, there’s a lot of waiting. The break is inconsistent at the best of times, and crowds are often an issue when it does get a pulse, so keep that in mind. This is a spot that needs a decent south-easterly groundswell to really fire, and we’re just not getting it.

Rusty.

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