Paignton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a hard look at the next couple of weeks down at Paignton. I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. There’s a long, dry gap at the start with absolutely nothing rideable.

We kick off right now, and things are flat. The first real glimmer of anything doesn’t show up until the 16th of September, but even then it's a tease. You’re looking at weak 2ft swell from the SE with a short period of 4 seconds. The energy is a measly 7, barely a ripple. You could probably get on a foamboard, but it’s not worth wetting a wetsuit for unless you’re desperate.

From the 17th through to the 19th, it’s basically flat again – a few tiny ripples in the 0.7ft to 1ft range, but with onshore or cross-onshore winds, it’s a total write-off.

Things start to perk up a little around the 20th of September. Sunday morning we see some waist-to-chest high lines at 3ft from the ESE, period still short at 4 seconds. Energy is weak (22). The wind is a light cross-shore, so it won’t be a total mess, but it’s not clean either. The afternoon cleans up a touch with a cross-offshore breeze from the SSW, but the swell is still weak.

Now, I have to flag the 21st and 22nd of September for the bigger swells, but honestly, it’s not what we want. On Monday the 21st, the swell bumps up to 5ft from the E, with period climbing to 6 seconds. The wave energy hits moderate levels (127), so there’s some power. However, it’s blowing a stiff 25 mph from the WNW. That’s a cross-offshore, which will actually keep it clean, but that wind speed is going to shred the surface and make paddling out a battle. The swell direction is from the East, and Paignton’s optimum is from the East – so the angle is right, but the wind strength is the killer. This is going to be blown-out, chunky, and only for the fit lads. It’s not beginner-friendly at over 5ft, and it’s on the edge of being expert-only. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Tuesday the 22nd is a step down to 4ft, with a similar 6-second period and moderate energy (89). The wind drops to 15 mph from the NW, still cross-off, so cleaner, but still messy. The consistency isn’t there, and it’s still on the big side for a beach break.

After that, it peters out again. The 23rd of September fades to 2ft from the E, with a short 5-second period and energy dropping to 18. Light cross-off wind, so it’ll be clean, but there’s just no push.

Bottom line: This is a pretty bleak outlook for Paignton. There’s no standout, no real quality window. The period is short across the board, so no proper groundswell. If you’re absolutely desperate for a paddle, the early morning on the 20th or the 21st might offer the most movement, but you’ll be fighting the wind. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing wild. A blank run like this happens here – forecasts can change, but for now, leave the board in the car.

Rusty

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