Poldhu Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Poldhu Cove has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough one. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a write-off for decent paddle surfing. It’s not that there’s no swell, but the conditions just aren’t lining up. We’ve got a lot of onshore wind and lumpy, messy surf. The first recommendation doesn’t come until Friday, the 4th of September, and even then it’s a marginal call. So we’re looking at over a week of pretty poor stuff before we get a sniff of anything decent.

Let’s walk through it. From Wednesday the 26th of August right through to Thursday the 3rd of September, it’s all poor surf conditions. We see a bit of a spike in size on the 29th of August, with swell hitting 12 ft from the SW, but it’s accompanied by a near gale-force wind and a combined wave energy of 1989 (that’s strong to very strong). That’s an absolute mess – more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one. The wind is hammering it, making it impossible to get a clean ride.

The first real flicker of hope comes on Friday morning, the 4th of September. The swell is 6 ft from the west, with a period of 9 seconds, and a clean cross-shore breeze from the NW. The combined energy is 455 (moderate). The guidance says ‘marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions’, so it’s not a total winner, but it’s the first time the wind is in a favorable place. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 65°, so that’s a nice bonus if you’re in.

Now, the standout. If you’re holding out for something special, mark your calendar for Saturday morning, the 5th of September. This is the best on offer by a long shot. We’ve got a 5 ft west swell, period of 7 seconds, and the wind is dead calm – glassy conditions. The guidance says ‘expect good surf conditions’. The wave energy is 373 (moderate), and it’s clean as a whistle. The break is a bit inconsistent, but when it’s this clean, you just gotta be patient and wait for the set. The optimum swell direction is SW, and this is coming from the west, so it’s in the right ballpark. Crowds are possible here, so get there early.

After that, Sunday the 6th still has some size, with 6 ft from the west and a longer period of 10 seconds, but it’s blown out by a cross-offshore wind. It’s clean, but the energy is a bit all over the place. The rest of the second week drops off quickly, with tiny swell and more onshore wind. By the 10th of September, we’re down to 2 ft and a fresh breeze, so it’s pretty much done.

Bottom line: If you’re desperate, the Friday morning might be worth a look, but the real gem is Saturday morning, the 5th. It’s not a massive swell, but with glassy conditions and a bit of patience, Poldhu Cove could deliver a few fun ones. The rest of the window is a write-off for a paddle.

Rusty.

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