Port Isaac Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your cuppa and listen up, it’s Rusty.

Well folks, I’ll be straight with you – this 16-day window for Port Isaac is a tough one. The first week and a half is mostly a write-off for any decent paddle surfing, and it’s not until the very end of the run that we get a proper pulse of energy. Let’s break it down.

From this Thursday morning all the way through to Wednesday the 24th of September, it’s a grim run. We’ve got days on end of either fresh onshore winds or weak, gutless swell. Thursday the 10th kicks off with a meagre 2 ft of west swell at a short period of 5 seconds, and all that combined energy is only a pathetic 36 – that’s barely enough to ruffle the surface. The water is sitting at 65°F which is *much warmer than normal* for this time of year, which is a weird little fact, but it doesn’t help the surf. Friday through the weekend sees some slightly bigger bumps, up to 5 ft, but the wind is constantly cross-on or cross-off and the periods stay short. The energy values on Saturday afternoon hit 223 (moderate), but with a period of just 7 seconds and a moderate breeze, it’s just messy, chop-infested slop. You’d be better off with a kite than a paddle out there for much of this first week.

There’s a small glimmer on Monday the 14th morning, with some clean-looking conditions and a weak 3 ft swell, but the energy is only 101, and the wave comment calls it “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” It’s a definite “could-go-for-a-paddle-but-don’t-expect-much” kind of day. Then it’s back into the doldrums. The whole stretch from the 15th to the 23rd is a boring parade of poor conditions with onshore winds, tiny heights, and low energy. You’re looking at a solid 12-day gap where there is really nothing worth recommending.

But hold on. The reward for lasting through the drought is a real cracker. On Thursday the 24th of September, it all comes together. The morning shows a solid 8 ft west-northwest swell coming in with a light offshore wind from the south at only 6 mph. The combined energy is a strong 709, and it’s forecast to be “very good surf conditions.” Then the afternoon gets even better: the swell jumps to a powerful 10 ft, the wind goes glassy from the west-northwest, and the energy rockets up to a huge 1315 – that’s serious power. The period is 9 seconds, a nice groundswell offering good shape. This is the standout session of the whole 16 days. Keep in mind, at 10 ft this is going to be heavy and definitely only for experienced surfers, but if you’re an expert who knows Port Isaac, that Thursday afternoon is the one to circle. It’s clean, powerful, and glassy – a proper treat after all that mess.

Friday the 25th holds some clean, surfable leftovers in the morning – 7 ft from the west with a light offshore – but the energy drops to 986, and the tide conditions look a bit questionable. It’s still a solid option compared to everything else, but it’s second best to the Thursday afternoon blast.

So, the long and short of it: Wait it out for a couple of weeks. There’s nothing happening until that Thursday the 24th. When it arrives, it’s the real deal – just be ready for the power.

- Rusty

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