Poldhu Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s on the cards for Poldhu Cove over the next couple of weeks.

To be brutally honest, the outlook is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf conditions, with only a handful of moments that might get a local out of bed. The first week is pretty much a write-off, with a few days of small, weak swell and messy winds. The real standouts, if you can call them that, are few and far between.

Thursday 20th August kicks off with a solid 7ft swell from the west, but a fresh cross-shore wind at 19 mph is on it, making it lumpy and uninviting. The wave energy is strong (813), but the quality is poor. That afternoon, the swell pushes to 8ft from the WNW, with even more energy (1762), but the wind stays fresh and cross-shore, so it’s a messy, blown-out affair. Not worth suiting up for.

Friday 21st sees the swell drop to 4ft in the morning and 3ft in the afternoon, with a light rain and cross-offshore winds. The energy is low (237 and 164), and with a short period of 8-9 seconds, the waves will be weak and gutless. The conditions are clean, but there’s simply not enough swell to ride.

Saturday 22nd is the one bright spot early on. The morning offers a gentle offshore breeze from the ENE at 9 mph, with a small 2ft west swell. The wave energy is very weak (73), but that offshore wind will make it glassy and clean. It’s a tiny wave, best for a longboard, but you’ll pretty much have the place to yourself. The afternoon turns cross-offshore and drops to 1ft.

From Sunday 23rd all the way through to Tuesday 25th, the swell is tiny – 0.7ft to 2ft – with moderate to strong cross-offshore winds. The energy is weak (35-103), and the period is either short or long, but with no height, it’s a non-starter. There’s a big gap of poor conditions here.

Wednesday 26th brings a new pulse. A 7ft SW swell in the morning with fresh cross-onshore winds at 19 mph, and a moderate 556 energy. It’s lumpy and cross-onshore though, so the quality is poor. The afternoon drops to 5ft, but still cross-onshore and choppy.

Thursday 27th has a 4ft west swell, with gentle cross-onshore winds and a 10-second period. The energy is moderate (430), but the wind is onshore, and the crowds are listed as “sometimes” here. Still, the conditions are just ordinary.

Friday 28th is a write-off with a near gale and heavy rain, 7ft swell and blown-out conditions.

Saturday 29th is the other standout. An 8ft WNW swell rolls in for the morning, with a fresh cross-shore wind at 19 mph. The energy is very strong (1528), and the period is a short 8 seconds. This is a big, powerful, but lumpy wave. It’s going to be a handful with that cross-shore wind, and at 8ft, it’s only for experienced surfers. The afternoon drops to 6ft.

Sunday 30th and Monday 31st see more onshore winds and solid swell (7ft to 12ft), but the wind is cross-onshore to onshore, making it a blown-out mess. The 12ft swell on Monday morning is very powerful (2834), but with a strong onshore wind, it’s a no-go for paddle surfing – this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing.

Tuesday 1st September offers a 6ft west swell with a light cross-shore breeze from the WNW at 6 mph. The energy is moderate (477), and the period is 9 seconds. This is the best chance for a clean, surfable wave. The light cross-shore wind will keep the surface fairly clean, and the swell is a solid size. It’s the one to target.

The rest of the window into Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th is small or windy again.

So, the pick of the fortnight is Saturday 22nd August if you want a longboard in clean, tiny waves, or Tuesday 1st September for a proper, clean 6ft wave with light winds. The 8ft on Saturday 29th is for experts only, and it’ll be lumpy. The long range stuff is promising but we’ll have to see how it holds.

Rusty.

Read more