Porthtowan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way for Porthtowan. It’s a bit of a rough start, I gotta be honest. We’re looking at a solid gap right through the first few days with no real surf to speak of.

The early part of the window, starting Thursday 20th August, is straight-up messy. We’ve got a 8ft to 8ft swell from the WNW, but it’s being hammered by a strong onshore wind, coming right out of the same direction as the swell. The combined energy is moderate to strong (829 to 1696), looks like a lot of power, but it’s all wind-locked and sloppy. No good for us. That poor run continues into Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with small, weak swell and less-than-ideal winds. Saturday morning is a real tease, with clean conditions but a tiny 2ft swell from the west with a period of just 10 seconds and weak energy (128). It’s surfable, but you’d be fighting for knee-high dribblers.

Then comes a long lull. From Sunday 24th August through to Tuesday 26th, the swell drops right off to 1.0ft to 2ft. The combined energy is barely two digits (42 to 75). That’s a proper flat spell, lads. Forget it.

We finally see a bit of life on Wednesday 26th August morning. A 6ft swell from the southwest with a short period (8 seconds) and moderate energy (472) rolls in, but it’s under a fresh cross-offshore breeze. The guidance says this spot is “fairly consistent” and the optimum swell direction is WNW, so the SW isn’t a perfect match. It’s clean, but the period is short, so it’ll be a bit fat and lumpy. It’s a marginal call, but it’s the first real sign of life.

Now, the standout for me is Thursday 27th August morning. We’ve got a clean 4ft swell from the west, period bumping up to 10 seconds, with a gentle cross-offshore breeze from the SSW. The combined energy is moderate (356). The wind is light, the conditions are clean, and the swell is a proper size for a beginner-friendly spot. For a Friday morning session, this is the pick of the whole outlook. It’s not huge, but it’s clean and rideable.

The following week gets a bit wild. Sunday 30th August morning looks interesting with a 7ft swell from the WSW under a moderate offshore wind from the SSE. The energy is moderate (559). That’s a solid, clean wave for a decent surfer, but remember, once you get over 5ft it’s less beginner-friendly. Monday 31st August morning brings a thumping 10ft swell from the west with a long period of 11 seconds—very strong energy (2472). That’s solid groundswell, and with a period that long, it’s going to be big and powerful. At Porthtowan, a beach break, that long period can make it break a bit too straight, and it’s definitely expert-only. Plus, the wind is a fresh cross-shore, making it lumpy. It’s a big, raw, probably messy day.

The rest of the first week of September is a mix of onshore wind and small, weak swell—nothing to write home about. The water temperature is about average for the time of year here, no real anomaly to speak of.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a write-off, then we get a decent clean window on Thursday 27th August morning—that’s your best bet for a fun, easy-going session. The big swell on Monday 31st August is for the brave and experienced, and it’s going to be lumpy. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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