Polzeath Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a proper look at what’s going on here. To be straight up with you, the start of the forecast is a tough watch. We’ve got a long run of poor conditions before anything decent shows. For nearly a week, it’s mostly onshore winds, messy little waves, and no real quality.

From Thursday the 13th right through to Wednesday the 19th, it’s just one poor report after another. Cross-onshore winds, light to fresh, with swell heights mostly under 4 ft and short periods. The combined swell energy is low, sitting between 15 and 269. There’s nothing rideable to get excited about.

Thursday the 20th is where the first glimmer of hope appears. The morning at Polzeath shows a clean window – cross-offshore wind from the N at 12 mph, with 6 ft swell coming from the NW. It’s marginal, with a score of 2, but it’s clean. The combined energy is moderate at 676. Not a standout but at least the water’s glassy.

Then from Friday the 21st into the weekend, conditions improve a touch. The wind turns offshore, light from the ENE and ESE, and the water’s clean. But the swell is small – only 2 ft to 3 ft – with a period of 9 to 10 seconds. Combined energy is low (65 to 152). These are surfable but very ordinary, soft little waves.

The real standout – and I mean the only real standout in the whole 16 days – is Wednesday the 19th. I know I said it’s poor, and the wind is cross-shore at 19 mph, but look at the swell: 8 ft in the morning from the W with an 8-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 1041. By the afternoon it’s 10 ft, still from the W, period 10 seconds, and energy hits 1655. That’s proper strong energy. This is expert territory for sure – over 8 ft, so beginners keep clear. The wind is lumpy and cross-shore, so it’s more of a challenge. If you’re a solid surfer and you want power, that afternoon is your window. But it’s raw and rough.

After the 21st, things drop right off again. From the 22nd through the 28th, it’s back to small, messy, or onshore junk. A few mornings have clean conditions with offshore wind, but the swell is tiny (1 ft to 2 ft) and weak energy (36 to 73). Not worth paddling for.

The only other minor lift is Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th, with swell around 6 ft to 6 ft from the WSW, but it’s onshore and lumpy. Combined energy is moderate to strong (321 to 465), but those strong onshore winds will chop it to bits.

So, if I were you, I’d circle Wednesday the 19th for the size and power if you’re experienced and don’t mind the chop. Otherwise, the clean but tiny slots on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd are your best bet for a fun little morning on a log or a twinny. Beyond that, it’s a long wait.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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