Maenporth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Maenporth over the next couple of weeks. I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s a proper quiet start. The first week is pretty much a write-off for any kind of decent surf. We’re looking at a big gap with no real recommendations until the end of the first week, so don’t be in a rush to wax up just yet.

For the opening days, from Sunday the 23rd right through to Friday the 28th of August, the swell is tiny or weak, and that wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore, making a proper mess of things. There’s a bit of a pulse on Monday the 24th with a short-period 7 ft to 8 ft swell from the east, but that strong cross-onshore wind (25 mph) has it looking like a washing machine – poor surf conditions all the way. The water temp is 65 °F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

The first flicker of hope comes on Friday the 28th of August in the afternoon. We get a clean 6 ft swell from the southwest, a period of 9 seconds, and a nice offshore wind from the northwest at 16 mph. That’s the first time we see a “good surf conditions” call. The wave energy is moderate (529). It’s not huge, but it’ll be clean and rideable.

Then we hit another flat patch – Saturday the 29th through to Wednesday the 3rd of September is mostly flat or tiny, with some cleaner conditions but no swell to speak of. You’ll be staring at a glassy ocean with nothing to catch.

The real standout, and the best on offer in this whole outlook, is Friday the 4th of September. The afternoon session is looking like the pick of the bunch. We’ve got a 7 ft swell from the west-southwest, a period of 9 seconds, and a light offshore breeze from the north-northwest at just 6 mph. That’s clean, glassy conditions and the wave energy is strong (815). This is proper surf for those who know what they’re doing – 7 ft is getting into the fun zone for experienced surfers. The morning of that day has a bigger 8 ft swell, but it’s cross-shore and a bit messier.

Now, into the following week, we see a big pulse arriving but with a serious caveat. Sunday the 6th of September afternoon has a 10 ft swell from the west-southwest (9 seconds, and very strong energy at 1505), and Monday the 7th of September morning hits an 12 ft swell from the west-southwest (10 seconds, massive energy at 2679). This is big, powerful stuff – over 8 ft, so it’s for experts only. The wind is cross-offshore to offshore but strong, 25-28 mph. It’s going to be clean on the face but those winds will be howling. For most of us, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Still, for the brave, Monday morning could offer some serious, critical waves.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a bust. The clear winner is Friday the 4th of September afternoon for a solid, clean session. The following Sunday and Monday are for the experts only.

Rusty.

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