Penhale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Penhale. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, exposed to the west, and the water’s about 65°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a nice little bonus.

Now, the honest truth is, this forecast is a tough one. We’ve got a long gap before anything really worth paddling out for shows up. From now through the end of August and into the first few days of September, the conditions are just ordinary. You’ve got tiny swell, mainly around 1ft to 2ft, with short periods under 10 seconds and weak combined swell energy, mostly in the double digits (between 63 and 131). The wind is a mess too – cross-off, cross-on, onshore, you name it, fresh breezes making it lumpy and choppy. It’s surfable in the loosest sense, but honestly, you’d be better off waiting. There’s a glimmer on Tuesday the 25th morning with a gentle offshore wind and clean 2ft west swell, energy of 63, but it’s so small it’s barely a ride.

The 28th of August sees a jump in size to 5ft from the west, but the period is short (7 seconds) and the energy is moderate at 254. The wind is cross-off in the morning, but it’s still a poor surf call. The 29th and 30th bring bigger, messier waves with onshore winds and strong energy (up to 867), but it’s blown out or lumpy. This pattern continues right through to the 5th of September, with swells getting bigger but the wind staying cross-on or onshore, making it a real struggle. The 5th of September is a prime example: 10ft west swell with a 10-second period, but cross-on winds and fresh breeze ruin it.

Then, finally, we get to the standout. Sunday the 6th of September morning. The finder says the swell is 10ft from the west, period 10 seconds, and the combined energy is a hefty 1768. The wind is a moderate cross-onshore, making it choppy, but the key note here is that it’s the only time the forecast says the wind and tide are favorable. The catch? 10ft is well over the 8ft mark, which means it’s for experts only. This is a big, powerful west swell, and at Penhale, that’s a serious wave. Beginners, stay well clear. The morning of the 6th is your best bet, but it’s a big boy’s game.

After that, the 7th and 8th of September see more poor conditions with onshore or cross-on winds, and the swell stays big but messy. The 9th offers a bit of relief with smaller 6ft to 5ft swell and a nice long 12-second period, but the wind is still cross-on, so it’s not clean.

So, to sum it up: there’s a long, dry spell of nothing worth mentioning until the 6th of September. That morning is the only real standout, but it’s a big, expert-only wave. The rest of the window is a write-off for a good, clean surf. The wave energy is there, but the wind just won’t play ball.

Rusty.

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