Port Isaac Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We’ve got a lot of onshore junk and messy conditions, with only a couple of fleeting windows that might get you wet. Don’t get too excited, but there’s a glimmer of hope if you pick your moments.

We’re starting off flat and ugly. Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th are all cross-onshore slop, with choppy, lumpy conditions and nothing rideable. The swell is there – around 3ft to 6ft – but it’s weak and disorganized, so don’t bother. Friday and Saturday are small and mostly onshore, still junk.

The first real gap starts on Sunday the 23rd and runs through Tuesday the 26th. Swell drops right off to 1ft, and while the wind might be light, there’s simply no energy. This is a dead period, a few days where you’d be better off fixing your boards or doing some maintenance.

Now, here’s the one standout in the whole outlook. On Thursday morning, the 27th of August, we finally get a decent window. The wind is light and cross-offshore out of the SSW, keeping things clean. The swell is 4ft from the west with a period of 11 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 282 – that’s moderate, but it’s the cleanest we’ll see. This is your window. Port Isaac (North Cornwall) is the spot. It’s a fairly consistent break, and with that cross-off wind, it should be holding shape. It’s a beginner-friendly wave, so perfect for getting out there without too much hassle. The water’s about average for the time of year, so nothing weird there. Just be aware that this is a brief window; the afternoon sees the wind swing onshore and the period drops, turning it messy.

After that, we’re back to the grind. The rest of that week and into the weekend is mostly cross-onshore with poor quality. There’s a bit of energy on the 30th, but it’s onshore and blown out.

The second week looks bigger but messier. From the 31st through to the 3rd, we’ve got some serious swell – up to 12ft on the 31st – but it’s coming with fresh onshore winds, making it lumpy and unmanageable. This is too big for beginners and only for experts, but even then, the wind will ruin it. The only other possible window is Wednesday afternoon the 2nd of September. The wind turns cross-off again and it’s clean, with 6ft of west swell. It’s a long way out, so treat it as promising but not certain, and don’t book time off work for it yet.

Honestly, if you’re keen, keep an eye on that Thursday morning the 27th. That’s the one to make. Otherwise, it’s a whole lot of waiting.

Rusty.

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