Magheraroarty Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right off the bat, this 16-day run is a classic tale of two halves. We've got a solid pulse of northwest groundswell lined up for the weekend, but it's coming in a bit too fat for our beloved Magheroary Strand. It's a heartbreaking tease, really.

The first call is Saturday morning, August 8th. The swell is a meaty 7ft at 9 seconds from the west, with the energy meter reading a solid 750. It's a proper push of water, but the forecast notes say it's too big for this break, and honestly, looking at the numbers, I'd have to agree. With a fresh 30 km/h offshore wind, it would be pristine lines out there, but that size is going to be closing out and just dumping on the sandbar. It's an expert's game at best, and even then, it might just be a washing machine. We're looking at a high tide issue, too – it's just too much juice for the shape of the beach.

The swell does back off a touch for Sunday afternoon, August 9th, down to 5ft from the west-northwest. The energy drops to 394, and with a gentle offshore breeze, it's cleaner. But the tide and other factors are just questionable, so I wouldn't get too excited. It's a maybe.

There is one window, Monday afternoon, August 10th, that catches my eye. The swell is down to a manageable 4ft from the NNW at 11 seconds, and the energy is a moderate 488. The wind is forecast to be glassy. Total glass. This is the perfect setup for this point. The longer period of 11 seconds means proper groundswell, and at this size, it should link up along the point perfectly. This is the standout of the first week, hands down. The water temp is 60°, which is a couple of degrees warmer than usual for this time of year, so it's not a total ice bath.

After that, it all fades to nothing. From Tuesday, August 11th, right through to the middle of the following week, it's flat. We're talking a solid week of nothing but knee-high dribble and close-outs. The energy readings drop into double digits and then single digits, and it's just a sad, blank stretch of water. You can forget about it until about Friday, August 14th, when a small 3ft bump shows up, but it's short-period and onshore, so it's not worth the parking ticket.

The second week starts to show a little more life around Monday, August 17th, with a 4ft west swell and moderate energy of 226. But it's cross-shore winds and a short period, making it messy. It's not the clean, lined-up surf we're after.

Looking further out, there are some bigger swells forecasted, particularly around the 22nd and 23rd of August, with readings coming in at 5ft to 7ft and energy in the 500-800 range. There's potential there, but it's over a week away, so don't book your flights yet. The winds are forecast to be fresh to strong and cross-shore, which will likely turn the break into a lumpy, messy mess. At that size, with that wind, this beach setup is going to look a lot more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle surfers.

So, the plan is simple: if you can only get out once this week, make it Monday afternoon. Otherwise, sit tight, watch the charts, and hope that late-month swell cleans up.

Rusty.

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