Salcombe Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Salcombe's got cooking for us over the next couple of weeks. Straight up, I gotta be honest with you – it’s a pretty bleak run for most of it. The models are showing a lot of poor surf conditions with strong winds and messy chop. We’ve got a solid gap from now until the end of August where you’re best off keeping the board in the car, or the bag.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t arrive until Monday, 31st August. The morning session is the standout of the entire forecast. We’ve got a clean 8 ft swell rolling in from the West, with a period of 10 seconds. Combined wave energy is a solid 1224 (moderate-to-strong), so there’s some nice power in the water. The wind is offshore from the WNW at 22 mph, and the report says it’s fresh offshore and clean. That’s the kind of wind you want. This will be a proper, punchy wave at Salcombe – rides will feel good. But heads up, with that size and a W swell, you need to be on your game; 8 ft is expert territory. The crowd factor is listed as “always” here, so expect company in the lineup. This is the pick of the whole 16 days.

After that, the week turns a bit soft. The 1st of September sees the swell drop right off to around 3 ft, and the wind switches to cross-off, making for cleaner but much smaller waves. The 2nd is even smaller, with a little 2 ft morning bump, but the offshore NW breeze will keep it glassy if you’re desperate for a log session. Nothing to write home about.

There’s a big jump in energy again on Thursday, 10th September – nearly a week and a half out now, so take this one with a pinch of salt. Swell builds back to 8 ft from the West, with an 8-second period. The combined energy is a chunky 896, and we’ve got cross-off winds (28 mph from the WSW) keeping the surface clean. That’s a decent window for strong surfers, but the shorter period will mean sets are a bit more disorganised. It’s still clean, though. This could be the second-best window if it holds together.

The rest of the second week into mid-September is tiny – barely a ripple – with periods dropping and winds messing things up. Keep an eye on the 12th September morning for a whisper of a 1 ft wave and a light gentle offshore, but honestly, that’s for the foiler or the longboarder.

So, bottom line: the best bet is Monday, 31st August morning. The only other one worth a look is that promising but less certain Thursday, 10th September. The rest of the time? Kites might get a run if the wind holds, but for a proper surf, it’s slim pickings.

Rusty

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