Salcombe Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you about Salcombe. I’ve had a good look at the charts, and the next 16 days are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. There’s really nothing that shapes up as a decent wave for a surfer, so I’ll walk you through the sparse offerings and the long gaps.

The outlook starts off flat. The first few days are a write-off. Saturday the 25th of July has a tiny 0.3ft southerly swell, but with a strong 19 mph cross-offshore wind, it’s just not worth the drive. The water is warm at 66°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s the only highlight.

We then hit a gap with no real surf until Sunday the 27th of July. That morning gives us a 3ft west swell, but again, the wind is messy. The afternoon is a no-go.

The next tiny window is on Tuesday the 29th of July. A 2ft west swell pops up in the afternoon with a 10-second period and a gentle cross-offshore breeze, keeping it clean. The combined wave energy is weak (94), so it’s barely a ripple. Not a standout.

Another gap follows until Sunday the 2nd of August. That morning sees a 3ft west swell with a 7-second period, blowing offshore from the northwest at 16 mph. The energy is moderate (103), but the short period means the waves are likely to be choppy and weak. The afternoon is similar with a 3ft west-southwest swell.

Monday the 4th of August brings the biggest bump of the whole run, but it’s still poor. The morning has a 4ft west-southwest swell with a 7-second period, but the wind is a light cross-onshore, creating ripples. The energy is moderate (158), but the quality is missing.

The final little flutter is on Sunday the 9th of August. The afternoon shows a 5ft west swell with a 10-second period, and a fresh offshore wind from the west-northwest at 19 mph. The combined energy is strong (371), which is the most we see in the whole period. However, the surf quality is still marked as poor, so it’s not a session to bank on. With a period of 10 seconds, it’s not a groundswell, and the beach setup here means it’ll likely be a bit closed out.

Honestly, for a spot like Salcombe that’s sheltered and inconsistent, a blank run like this isn’t unusual. None of the breaks are consistent through this period. The best of a bad bunch is that Sunday the 9th of August afternoon, but it’s a long-range call and not a sure thing. If you’re a kitesurfer, that 5ft swell with a strong offshore wind might look interesting, but for paddle surfing, it’s a no-go.

Stay tuned, the forecasts can change. Rusty out.

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