Maenporth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be honest with you right off the bat: it’s looking flat and grim out there for our little corner of the coast. I’ve scanned the next couple of weeks, and there’s just nothing on the table that’s gonna get you excited. We’re looking at a proper stretch of small, weak, and mostly messy surf. The first real chance of anything even worth paddling out for is a solid week away, on the 12th of August, and even then, it’s not going to be pretty.

For the next few days, we’re talking about ankle-biters. On Wednesday the 5th and Thursday the 6th, the swell is a pathetic 0.3ft with weak energy readings of 7 and 6. There's some clean, offshore wind around, which will make the water surface look nice and smooth, but there’s no waves to ride. It’s a real tease. Friday the 7th dawns glassy, with the energy dropping to a paltry 1, but the swell is still at 0.3ft. You could sit out there on a longboard and maybe, just maybe, catch a ripple, but it’s not surfing. The weekend isn't much better. Saturday the 8th sees a slight bump to 1ft with a weak 8-second period, but winds go onshore, making it a bit lumpy. Sunday the 9th drops right back down to 0.3ft. It's gonna be a tough few days.

The start of next week isn't offering salvation either. Monday the 10th remains tiny with 1ft. By Tuesday the 11th, things pick up to a still-small 2ft to 3ft but the period is a horrible 4 seconds. That’s just wind chop with no punch. The wind will also be onshore, so it’ll be a bit of a mess.

Finally, on Wednesday the 12th of August, we see the only real swell of the forecast period, and it’s still not good. The summary height pushes up to 3ft, and the combined energy jumps into the moderate range at 64 in the morning, and even 156 by the afternoon. It's not huge, but it's something. However, this is where the bad news comes in. The wind will be blowing a fresh 22 mph cross-onshore. It’s going to be lumpy, bumpy, and junky. A spot like Maenporth is sheltered, but the swell direction and wind combo will make for poor quality waves. The period is short, only 5 seconds, so it’ll be all surface chop with no power. For a beginner spot, this isn't friendly, and for anyone else, it’s barely worth the paddle.

Thursday the 13th might offer something with a 3ft swell and a more respectable 9-second period, but the morning is again cross-onshore and choppy. The afternoon cleans up with some offshore wind, but the swell drops off a cliff back to 1ft. That's the story of this stretch – a tease.

The 14th of August and beyond just fades back into tiny, weak surf. There are some long-period swells showing up in the 12-to-16 second range, but the height is a whisper at 0.3ft. It’s like seeing a flash of light on the horizon but knowing it’s too far away to reach. There are also a couple of days, like the 15th and 17th, where fresh to strong winds are whipping up and the surf is either blown out or non-existent. The 15th sees some rain and a 3ft swell with a 7-second period, but the cross-off wind won't do it any favors.

Look, this is one of those flat spells that hits hard. There just aren't any good options. If you’re desperate to get wet, the cleanest mornings with the small stuff will be your only bet, but don't expect to get a real wave. This looks more like a patch for the kitesurfers on a couple of those windier days, if they’re keen, than for us paddle surfers. I know it’s frustrating. But that’s the way it goes sometimes. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, don’t get your hopes up. This drought looks set to stick around.

Rusty.

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