Salcombe Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what we’ve got for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it’s a bit of a tough stretch. There’s a lot of energy coming through, but the winds are just all over the place, making it hard to find clean windows.

First up, the main spot we’re looking at is Salcombe. The water’s sitting at 65°F, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s a nice little bonus.

Friday the 28th of August is a write-off. We’ve got a 3ft swell from the WSW, but that 19 mph cross-off wind is just too much. It’s messy, not worth paddling out. The afternoon gets even worse with a 25 mph breeze.

Saturday the 29th brings a pulse of energy. The morning sees 7ft from the SW, but it’s cross-on and howling at 25 mph – absolute chop. The afternoon jumps to a solid 13ft from the WSW with a 9-second period. That’s a lot of water moving, with combined energy at 2517, but the 25 mph cross-off wind will make it a battle. This is for experts only, and even then, it’s going to be a handful.

Sunday the 30th is still lumpy. 6ft in the morning, 7ft in the afternoon, but the wind is cross and cross-shore. Expect a cross-chop. Not a good look.

Monday the 31st of August is the closest we get to a standout in the first week. The morning has 8ft from the WSW, 10-second period, and a 19 mph cross-off wind that keeps the surface clean. Combined energy is 1021. The afternoon drops slightly to 7ft from the W with a lighter 16 mph cross-off. It’s still clean. This is the best on offer for this stretch, but with those winds, it’s not going to be perfect. Crowds are likely here, so get there early.

After that, things taper off fast. Tuesday the 1st of September drops to 3ft, then Wednesday the 2nd is down to 2ft with a tiny 56 energy reading. By Thursday the 3rd we get a little bump back to 6ft and 6ft, but the wind is still strong and cross-off, keeping the quality poor. The rest of the first week and into the second week is a real dry spell.

From the 6th of September onwards, we’re looking at a long gap with very little on offer. The 7th and 8th show a small bump to 5ft, but the period is short (6-8 seconds) and the energy is weak (185-256). It’s clean, but it’s just not going to have any push. From the 9th of September right through to the 12th, it’s tiny – waves under 3ft, with periods that are either too short or too long for the beach break setup here. The 12th of September has a 0.7ft swell with a 10-second period, which is a groundswell, but there’s nothing to it. Energy is only 17. Not a single recommendation in the second week.

To sum it up: Monday the 31st of August morning is your only real shot at something decent, and even that’s going to be wind-affected. The rest of the forecast is a bust for paddle surfing. With the strong cross-shore winds and a beach setup, it looks more interesting for kite surfing than anything else.

Stay tuned, forecasts can change.

- Rusty

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