Porthtowan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for Porthtowan. We’ve got a long stretch of junk ahead, so don’t be in a rush to grab your board.

We’re starting off with a real dud. Wednesday the 5th has some swell, around 6.2ft from the west, but that 15.5 mph cross-on wind is going to tear it to pieces. The combined energy is moderate at best (388), and with a short period of 7 seconds, it’s just messy. That theme carries right through the first week. Thursday the 6th drops to 3.3ft, still onshore and crumbly. By Friday the 7th we get a glassy morning, but the swell is a pathetic 1ft – barely a ripple. The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year at 65.3°, but that’s little comfort when there’s nothing to ride.

We see a few brief moments of hope. Saturday the 8th has a clean morning with a light offshore wind from the SE, but again, the swell is only 1ft. It’s a long-period groundswell at 9 seconds, but there’s just no energy behind it (31). Tuesday the 12th brings a fresh offshore breeze, but the swell is only 2.3ft to 2.6ft. It’s clean, but you’d be desperate.

The only real window that might tempt you is the morning of Thursday the 13th. The swell bumps up to 4ft from the west, with a 9-second period and a light cross-offshore wind. The combined energy jumps to 341, and the conditions are clean. It’s the best we’ve got, but it’s still a far cry from good. The afternoon gets ruined by 12.4 mph onshore winds, so that morning window is your only shot.

After that, it’s back to poor conditions. Friday the 14th is onshore and choppy. Saturday the 15th brings a strong 21.7 mph cross-offshore, but the swell is tiny and weak. The whole second week is a write-off, with wind and rain dominating.

Then, on Monday the 17th of August, the swell goes absolutely mental. We’re talking 13.1ft from the west-northwest, with a very long period of 11 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 4432. But here’s the kicker: the wind is onshore at 15.5 mph. This is a massive, dumping, blown-out mess. That size is for experts only, and with the wind making it dangerous, it’s a skip. The afternoon drops to 9.8ft (1856 energy), but it’s the same story.

To be honest, with that much swell and poor wind, and Porthtowan being a beach break, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The rest of the forecast into the 20th shows easing swell but persistent cross-onshore winds, keeping the surf quality poor.

Summary: Don’t hold your breath. The morning of Thursday the 13th is the only window with a glimmer of hope. Everything else is a mess of onshore junk or ridiculously big and blown out. The long stretch of poor conditions is pretty normal for this area when the wind doesn’t play ball.

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