Salcombe Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let's have a look at what's on offer for Salcombe.

Truth be told, it’s a tough stretch ahead. We’ve got a long, dry run of nothing much to get excited about. From now, right through the first week of July and beyond, the scores are flat as a pancake. You're looking at a solid nine or ten days where the waves are barely a whisper. The swell energy is weak, often in the double digits (41 to 234), and the heights are tiny – we're talking 2 ft to 2 ft at best, with most of it smaller. For most of that time, it's a case of 'poor surf conditions' with not a single rideable wave in sight. It’s frustrating, I know.

Then, there’s a flicker of hope. On Monday, 13th July, things start to change. We get a bit of a pulse from the west, pushing in around 4 ft with a proper 12-second period. The swell energy jumps to 342, which is a fair bit of grunt for Salcombe. Now, the kicker here is the wind turns glassy in the morning – dead calm, perfect for a clean surface. That is a rare treat. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing wild.

That Monday morning is your standout. It’s not going to be perfect, and the break is inconsistent, so you'll need to be patient. Plus, it’s Salcombe – it’s nearly always got a crowd, so don’t expect to have it to yourself. The swell direction is from the west, and this break likes a south wind, so it’s a bit of a mismatch, but that long period groundswell and glassy conditions could still make for some unexpectedly nice, lined-up walls. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-offshore breeze building to 12 mph, and the swell pushes up to 4 ft, but the clean morning is the one to point your car at.

For the rest of the fortnight after that, it drops away again. The second week is more of the same: small 1 ft to 3 ft swell with mostly cross-off or onshore winds, and the energy level falls back below 200. A couple of days look clean, but there's just no size or power to work with. There's one last blip on Saturday, 18th July with a 6 ft swell, but it's a short period 6 seconds from the northeast and the wind is a fresh cross-shore gale at 19 mph with rain. That’s a messy, lumpy affair and probably better left for the kite crowd than a paddle surfer.

So, if you’re desperate for a wave, pencil in that Monday, 13th July morning. Get there early, and you might just score a glassy gem.

Rusty.

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