Porthtowan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Porthtowan’s got cookin’ for us over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with ya – it’s a quiet start, and we’re gonna be waiting a good few days before there’s anything worth paddling out for. The first real chance to wet a line ain't till Wednesday the 8th of July, but even then, it’s pretty ordinary.

From now through to Tuesday the 7th, it’s a write-off. Winds are mainly onshore or cross-onshore from the west and northwest, with swell dribbling in under 3ft. The wave energy is weak, barely nudging three digits. It’s choppy, messy, and just not worth the hassle. A real flat spell to kick things off.

Wednesday the 8th of July morning finally shows a pulse of life. We’ve got a 2ft swell from the west with a 10-second period, and the wind swings light from the east-northeast, getting clean. Wave energy is sitting at 97, so still pretty weak. It’s surfable, but very ordinary – think small, clean lines for the logs and maybe a longboard. Don’t get your hopes up for anything punchy. The wind stays light and cross-off through to Saturday the 11th morning, with the swell holding around that same 3ft mark from the west. It’s clean, but the energy is only moderate at best (145 on Friday morning).

Now, here’s the kicker. Saturday the 11th of July afternoon gets interesting, but maybe not for the right reasons. The swell jumps up to 5ft, but it’s a short-period, junky windswell from the north (6 seconds). Wave energy climbs to 289, which is moderate, but that short period means it’s gonna be lumpy and raw. The wind is clean and cross-off from the east, so the surface will be smooth, but that swell is shy and weak for its size. This one’s looking more like a kite-surfing setup than a proper paddle session – it’ll be bumpy and hard to get a decent wave face.

Sunday the 12th of July morning drops back to 4ft from the north, still with that short 6-second period, and the easterly wind is strong at 15 mph. Clean offshore, but honestly, that onshor-ish energy makes it a tough paddle. Not one for the beginner crew.

The rest of the second week is a real mixed bag. The 13th and 14th have tiny swell or strong winds making things tough. By Wednesday the 15th, we’ve got a westerly swell at a meagre 2ft, with the wind swinging southwest. Thursday the 16th is similarly tiny. There’s a little pulse on the 18th of July, with 2ft from the west-northwest and a longer 11-second period, giving us 157 in energy – it’s moderate, but the wind is cross-shore and a bit messy. Nothing screaming "go now."

The standout in the whole forecast, if you can call it that, is far off – Sunday the 19th of July afternoon. We’re looking at a 6ft swell from the south-southwest, with a period of 8 seconds. The wave energy jumps to a solid 383, which is the biggest we’ll see. But the wind is a cross-onshore from the west at 12 mph, so it’s gonna be choppy. For the experienced crew, there might be some punchy, raw waves if you can find a bank that handles the onshor-junk. Beginners, stay clear – that’s 6ft and bumpy, not a fun paddle.

So, bottom line: there’s no true gem in this 16-day window. The best look is probably that clean, small stuff on the 8th to 10th for a mellow session. That bigger pulse on the 19th is a maybe for the charger crew, but the wind is against it. Surf is there, but it’s a proper grinder. Keep an eye on the forecasts – it can turn.

Rusty.

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