Poldhu Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for Poldhu Cove.

First off, the honest truth: we’ve got a long, dry spell ahead. The opening days through the end of July are pretty much a write-off for any decent paddle. The swell is tiny, mostly around 1 ft to 1 ft, with short periods of 8 to 9 seconds, and the combined wave energy is weak, barely hitting 33 (33) to start. The wind is a bit of a mess too, and while there are glassy moments on the 23rd, 24th, and 27th mornings, there’s just no power in the water to push a surfable wave. You’d be bobbing around on a lake.

The weekend of the 26th and 27th sees a slight lift in swell height, but it comes with strong, fresh winds. On Sunday the 26th, the morning swell is 4 ft from the WNW with a period of 7 seconds, and the energy climbs to 178 (178) – still not enough to get excited about, and it’s blown out by a 19 mph NW cross-off. The following Monday morning the 27th is the first time we see a score of 1 out of 10, with a glassy 4 ft swell from the W, period 9 seconds, and energy of 192 (192). The conditions are clean, but the waves are described as “very ordinary.” It’s a tiny window of hope but not worth a special trip.

The real kicker comes near the end of the run. On the 31st of July, the afternoon shows a 5 ft swell from the W, period 8 seconds, and the energy jumps to 464 (464) – that’s a moderate pulse. But the wind is onshore from the SW at 9 mph, and the surf is still rated poor. Then on the 1st of August, the swell really starts to push. The morning brings a 8 ft swell from the W, 10 seconds, with energy at 985 (985) – that’s a solid, powerful groundswell. However, the wind is a fresh cross-onshore from the SSW at 19 mph, and with rain, it’s going to be lumpy and messy. This is too big for beginners and only for experts who don’t mind working in challenging conditions. The beach setup here will likely be more interesting for kite surfing than paddling into those onshore walls.

After that, into the first week of August, the swell drops off again fast. The 3rd of August morning offers a small, clean 3 ft swell from the W with a 6 mph ESE cross-off, but the energy is only 96 (96) – weak. After that, it’s back to tiny, clean but powerless surf.

The standout in this entire 16-day window, if you’re desperate, is the morning of Monday the 27th of July. It’s the only time you get glassy, clean conditions with a bit of push (4 ft) and a reasonable 9-second period. Even then, it’s just “very ordinary.” The other pulse on the 1st of August has the size but is blown out. Between the start and the end of July, there’s a near-total gap of about 6 days with no real surf to speak of.

So, keep your expectations low, lads. The forecast could always change, but right now, it’s a waiting game. Poldhu Cove is a fairly exposed SW spot, but the wind and swell just aren’t lining up. It’s a tough run for a break that’s already inconsistent.

Rusty.

Read more