Poldhu Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's get into it. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag for Poldhu Cove. We’ve got a good chunk of flat, meh conditions to wade through before things get interesting, so patience is the name of the game. Don’t get too stoked on the early forecasts, but keep an eye on the horizon for a proper pulse.

We start off with nothing to ride. The first few days are a write-off for surf. Wave heights are just too small to get ya heart pumping, and we’ve got wind coming from the wrong directions, mostly cross and cross-on. That combo means lumps and bumps, not clean lines. The water is sitting at a warm 66°F, which is a full 4°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s a noticeable jump, making it feel more like a late summer bath than the chilly Atlantic we’re used to.

From Wednesday the 5th through Saturday the 9th, we’re looking at a long, flat stretch. Wave heights are under 3 feet, with lackluster energy (the strongest of this period is just 80 on the overnight Sunday call). There are a few moments of clean, glassy conditions like Friday morning when the wind goes dead, but there’s just no swell to push through. It’s brutal out there—more of a paddle around than a surf.

The middle of the month brings a tiny bump of energy—Monday the 10th sees the combined energy jump to 162, with a 3 foot swell, but the winds are still messy, so it’s not worth the paddle. We see a few cleaner windows with offshores, like Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th, but the swell remains small. On Wednesday afternoon, there’s a slight increase with 3 feet from the WSW and a 10-second period, pushing the energy to 131, but it’s still just not enough to get excited about.

The first real sign of life comes on the morning of Thursday the 13th of August. The swell bumps up to 4 feet from the west, with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 335. The wind is a light offshore from the east, keeping it clean. This is a proper, rideable option. It’s still inconsistent, and the wave faces won’t be huge, but it’s a definite step up from the flat spells. The afternoon sees a bigger swell at 5 feet, but the wind swings onshore and kills the quality. So you gotta get it early.

After that, we slide back into poor form. Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th are messy, with fresh to strong cross-onshore winds and junky surf. Sunday the 16th is flat-out blown out with strong winds, and you might as well not bother.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. On Monday the 17th of August, the ocean wakes up. The swell forecast is for a serious 15 feet from the west with an 11-second period. This is a huge pulse of energy—the combined reading is a massive 4801. That’s a very strong swell. But, and it’s a big but, this is way too much for Poldhu Cove. It’s going to be a closeout, and likely way over everyone’s head. The guide says it’s too big for the place. This is for experts only, and even then, it could be a washing machine. The afternoon drops to a beefy 10 feet, but it’s still big and the winds are on it, making things messy.

The rest of that week (the 18th through the 20th) is back to more average stuff, with a 5 foot to maybe 6 foot swell, but the winds are mostly cross or cross-on. There’s a cleaner morning on Wednesday the 19th with a cross-off wind, but the 7-second period makes it a bit wind-swell-ish and not super powerful.

So, bottom line: the standout in this window is the morning of Thursday, August 13th. It’s not a monster day, but it’s the best combination of size, clean wind, and manageable energy we get before the big stuff that’s just too much. The big swell on the 17th is a spectacle but not a surf session. It’s a waiting game for the first part of the month, then a quick hit of fun, then a week of onshore slop before things get potentially hectic.

Keep the faith, check the cams, and be ready to move when that Thursday morning window opens up.

Rusty.

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