Portreath Harbour Wall Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s look at this in feet and miles per hour.

I’m looking at the next couple of weeks here in Cornwall, and to be honest, it’s a tough stretch for anyone wanting a proper paddle. The whole 16-day window is pretty much a write-off, with one tiny, late glimmer of hope. Let’s walk through it.

First up, the vibe is just wrong. The swell is tiny and weak, and the wind is almost always a cross-onshore, which is the last thing you want. The water’s sitting at 64°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice bonus, but it doesn’t make up for the lack of waves.

The first few days, from the 21st through the 24th, are a total bust. We’re looking at flat, short-period slop, with combined energy barely getting out of the double digits (76 down to 18). It’s choppy, lumpy, and just not worth getting wet.

We get a bit of a pulse from the 25th to the 27th, with the swell building to 5 ft on the 26th and 5 ft on the 27th, all from the WNW. The combined energy finally kicks up to some moderate numbers (189 to 222). But—and it’s a big but—the wind is still onshore or cross-onshore, blowing at 12 to 19 mph. The period is short, around 5 to 7 seconds, so it’s just messy, wind-affected chop. It’s not surfable for a paddle; it’s more of a strong wind, choppy mess that’d be more fun on a kite.

After that, it drops back to tiny and weak for the end of July and into the first few days of August. The energy is back in the 30s and 50s, with heights under 3 ft. The wind is a bit lighter, but still onshore.

Now, there is one standout, and it’s a proper long-range promise. On the morning of Tuesday, August 4th, we finally get the wind to swing around to the SE, coming offshore. It’s light, just 6 mph, and the wave comment says “clean.” The swell is tiny, only about 2 ft from the WSW, with a period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy is a weak 55. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Portreath Harbour Wall will be clean, but it’s for the longboard or the foiler only. The crowds are often there, so expect a few others with the same idea.

For the rest of the window, it’s a no-go. The period from late July into early August is a big gap of several days with nothing worth paddling out for. That one morning on the 4th is the only thing on offer, and it’s a small, clean window.

Rusty.

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