Poldhu Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer around Poldhu Cove for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, I’m not gonna lie to you, the start of this forecast period is a tough one to swallow. We’ve got a solid week of poor surf conditions ahead, with a few decent swells popping up but the wind just ruining the party. The first real glimmer of hope doesn't show up until the morning of the 15th of August, so we’re looking at a long, dry gap of about 10 days with nothing but small, chop-ridden waves and onshore winds. It’s a proper waiting game.

The first bit of action on the 4th of August is a no-go. We’ve got a 4ft SW swell but with a short 7-second period and a strong 19 mph onshore wind, it’s just a messy, blown-out affair. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 66°F for the time of year, but that’s hardly a consolation when you’re getting pounded by that wind.

The next few days are a similar story. A bit of swell on the 5th and 6th, with waves up to 6ft, but the wind is howling from the WNW, making everything lumpy and cross-onshore. We do get a day of glassy conditions on the 7th, but the swell is a pathetic 1.0ft. It’s a tease. The combined wave energy is barely a whisper at 22 on that morning. The 8th through the 14th are all the same story: small, weak swells, mostly under 3ft, with inconsistent periods and generally poor quality. The water stays around 66°F, but the surf is just not worth the paddle.

Now, hold on to your boards, because the 15th of August is where it finally gets interesting. The morning of the 15th is our real standout. The forecast shows a clean 6ft swell from the W, with a 9-second period and light, offshore winds from the NW. The combined energy kicks up to 631, which is a solid, moderate pulse of energy. This is good, clean, surfable Poldhu Cove. The wind is blowing cross-off from the NW, which should keep the waves nice and clean. This is a classic groundswell, and for a spot like Poldhu Cove that’s a fairly exposed beach, the longer period of 9 seconds will give it some decent shape. It’s not a monster, but it’s the best we’ve seen in two weeks.

After that, the weekend of the 16th and 17th gets messy again, with building swell but strong onshore winds and choppy conditions. By the 18th, we’re looking at a very strong 8ft swell from the W with a 10-second period, but the wind is a nasty 25 mph from the WNW, making it a total mess. The energy is a massive 1298, but it’s a washing machine. That’s a setup that looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, to be honest.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a total write-off. The one true standout is the morning of the 15th of August. Get up early, get the cross-off wind, and enjoy that clean 6ft swell. It’s the only real window of quality surf in the whole 16-day run. The rest is either too small, too windy, or both. That’s a tough run for Poldhu Cove, but that one morning could be a cracker.

Rusty.

Read more