Portreath Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks at Portreath Beach.

To be straight with you, the first week is a bit of a write-off. We’re looking at a long stretch from Friday the 17th right through to the end of that week with nothing worthwhile on offer. The swell is tiny, mostly under 3 ft, with short-period windswell and messy cross-onshore winds. It’s flat, it’s choppy, and you’re better off checking the tide pools. The water is sitting at 63°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only highlight.

Now, we start to see a pulse of energy kicking in around Sunday the 26th. The combined energy climbs to moderate (103) by the morning and then to 111 in the afternoon, with a 4 ft swell from the WNW. The wind is light and cross-off in the morning, so it should be clean. Monday the 27th sees that swell building further to 5 ft (combined energy 211) in the morning, with a gentle cross-shore breeze. It’s still not a standout, but it’s the best we’ve seen so far.

The real action, and I mean the *real* action, is looking like it’s going to hit on Wednesday the 29th into Thursday the 30th. The swell is going to go absolutely mental. On Wednesday afternoon, we’re looking at a 13 ft swell from the W with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 3140. That is serious, serious power. The wind is onshore, so it’ll be a bumpy, raw, heavy beast. This is expert-only territory. The swell direction is a solid match for the break’s optimum (NW), so it’s heading right in.

Then Thursday the 30th is the real standout. The swell hangs around 13 ft in the morning from the WNW, combined energy of 3703, but the wind is light from the NNE. The file says wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. This is a rare, dangerous, and powerful day. If you’re a seasoned charger who knows this stretch, it could be a once-in-a-season session. The crowd factor is listed as “often” so expect a few others who have the same idea. After that, Friday the 31st drops to a still-sizeable 8 ft, with clean cross-off winds, but the energy is still high (622). It’s cleaner, but the sets will be powerful.

So, to sum it up: the first week is cooked. The second week has a slow build, but the standout is undoubtedly Thursday the 30th of July. That’s your day, if you’ve got the bottle. Get out there, be smart, and respect the ocean.

Rusty.

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