Maenporth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, this is Rusty. Let’s be straight with you—this outlook for Maenporth is a tough one. The next 16 days are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. You’ll be staring at a whole lot of flat, weak, or blown-out conditions, with only a couple of very brief windows that might offer a salvageable session. There’s a massive gap from the end of August through to the second week of September with zero surf on offer, so don't hold your breath.

Alright, let’s start with the first bit of hope. On Monday morning, the 31st of August, we’ve got a proper 10ft swell rolling in from the WSW, with a period of 10 seconds. That’s a solid amount of energy—combined energy is a hefty 1411—and it’s coming in with a fresh offshore wind from the NW. That’s the kind of clean, powerful stuff that gets the heart pumping. But, and it’s a big but, the wave comment says it’s marginal, with questionable tide conditions, and the score is low. The swell is over 8ft, so this is strictly for the experts; it’s gonna be a beast out there. The water temp is going to be about average for the time of year, nothing unusual. For the rest of that Monday, the wind swings and the surf drops, and you’re back to nothing.

Then the long dry spell hits. From Tuesday, the 1st of September, all the way through to the 7th of September, the forecast is a total write-off. Swell is tiny, often under 2ft, and when there is a little bump, the winds are either onshore, cross-shore, or just not clean enough to make anything of it. A few days have a 0.7ft SSW swell with a long period of 13-14 seconds, but that’s just a lake-like ripple with zero power. The combined energy stays below 100, often in the single digits. It’s a real blank run, and it’s not unusual for this area to go quiet like this.

After that long week of nothing, we get a tiny flicker. On Monday the 7th of September, the afternoon shows a 4ft swell from the WSW with a period of 13 seconds and a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy is 420, which is moderate, but the wave comment says it’s still marginal. The long period (13 secs) means it’s a groundswell, which might offer some shape, but at a sheltered spot like Maenporth, the size is still small. It’s the best you’ll get, but it’s not a standout.

The rest of the forecast is a mess. The 8th of September, the 9th, the 10th—all flat or poor. Then from the 11th to the 15th, the swell picks up a bit, but it’s coming from the east or southeast, which is the worst direction for this break. The winds are cross-onshore or onshore, and the period is short, around 6-7 seconds, creating lumpy, choppy, messy conditions. The combined energy climbs into the 200-300 range, but it’s all wind-slop. This setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, to be honest. It’s just not going to be clean.

So, to sum it up for you, Maenporth is a no-go for the vast majority of this outlook. The only real chance for a proper wave is the first Monday morning, but it’s big and technical. After that, you’re looking at a 7-day flat spell, then a few marginal days that might just scrape a 1-star session. Don’t get your hopes up.

Rusty.

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