Perran Sands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Perran Sands. Gotta be honest with you, the next week and a half or so looks pretty grim for a proper paddle session. We’ve got a lot of tricky onshore and cross-shore winds that are going to keep things choppy and messy.

The wind is going to be the main problem, especially through the end of August and into the first days of September. Thursday the 27th kicks off with a risk of thunderstorms and a cross wind, and we’re only looking at a weak 2ft swell from the west with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined wave energy is barely a whisper at 52, so it’s not worth suiting up for that. The water temp is sitting at a pleasant 65°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only good news.

Friday the 28th doesn’t get any better. A fresh cross-wind kicks up to 19 mph in the morning, and while the swell bumps up to 4ft from the WSW, the period drops to a terrible 5 seconds – that’s just wind chop. It’s a solid “no” from me. Same story on Saturday the 29th, with a near gale-force cross-wind and swell jumping up to 12ft on the Saturday afternoon, but it’s all cross-onshore and messy. A combined swell energy of 1806 might sound big, but with that wind, it’s a complete write-off for surfing.

Sunday the 30th is the first time we see a bit of hope. The wind switches to a light to moderate cross-offshore, and the swell sits around 5ft to 6ft from the west with a period of 9 seconds. It’ll be clean – the notes say “clean” – so you could get some fun little waves, especially in the morning. The combined energy is moderate at 413 to 490. It’s not a standout, but it’s the best we’ve seen so far.

Monday the 31st brings clean conditions again in the afternoon with a light onshore wind, but the swell is still just okay. Tuesday and Wednesday of the first week of September see the wind turn cross-onshore again, knocking the quality back down. The swell stays small, around 4ft to 3ft, and the wave energy drops back into the weak category by Wednesday afternoon (83).

There’s a long gap of nothing much happening until we get to the weekend of the 7th and 8th of September. Now, Sunday the 7th looks interesting, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Early morning on the 7th, we get an 12ft groundswell from the WNW with a 9-second period, and the combined wave energy is a very strong 1807. The wind is light from the NW, but it’s onshore. The file calls it “marginal” at best, and with a beach setup, that much swell is only for the experts. The afternoon drops to 7ft and the wind turns cross-onshore but still light. Not a day for beginners.

The real standout is Tuesday the 8th of September. That’s the one to circle. We’ve got a gentle offshore wind from the SSE in the afternoon, and a clean 5ft west swell with a lovely long period of 11 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is a solid 590, signalling good wave shape. This is the pick of the entire 16-day window. The swell direction matches the west optimum, the wind is offshore – this is the day to get out there. Just be aware that this spot can get crowded, so get your timing right.

Wednesday the 9th still looks clean with a cross-offshore wind, but the swell drops a little and the wind picks up, so Tuesday is your gold. After that, it fades back into onshore nonsense through to the 11th, with a near gale blowing on Friday the 11th, making a mess of a 6ft swell.

So, in short: avoid the first week unless you just want a clean, small wave on the 30th. Wait for Tuesday the 8th of September. That’s the one that’ll give you a smile. A long period groundswell like that, with offshore wind, will have some nice shape on the reef. Keep an eye on that date.

Rusty.

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