Salcombe Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mate, Rusty here. Let’s break down the next couple of weeks around Salcombe.

Honestly, the first week is a dud. We’re looking at a long stretch of flat, weak surf with messy winds. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 19°, about 2° above average, but that’s the only good news early on. You’ll see tiny swell heights around 0.3ft to 0.7ft and combined wave energy barely topping 20 (weak) for most of that first week. Winds are mostly cross-off or cross, and while Wednesday the 19th morning shows a 4ft swell from the west, it’s only 7 seconds – short, weak, and the conditions are poor.

From Thursday the 20th, we get a bit of a pulse. Thursday morning brings 5ft from the west, 9-second period, with energy of 407 (moderate), but the guidance says it’s marginal – tide and a cross-off breeze keep it from being a goer. Friday the 21st still has small, weak waist-high stuff. Saturday the 22nd shows a little pulse from the east but it’s short period and messy.

Then we hit a dead zone from Sunday the 23rd through Tuesday the 25th – tiny swell, poor conditions, nothing worth paddling for.

The standout finally arrives on Wednesday, 26th August. The morning is the best of the whole forecast. We get 7ft from the west-southwest, 9-second period, combined energy of 595 (strong), and the wind is glassy from the west-southwest at 5 km/h. That’s clean, offshore enough, and the size is solid for a good day. The afternoon stays clean but gets a bit bumpier with a moderate cross-off breeze.

Thursday the 27th drops off – the wind is ok but the swell is short period (7 seconds) and energy is moderate, but the forecast says poor. Friday the 28th morning bumps up to 7ft from the west-southwest, 10-second period, energy 846 (strong), but it’s cross-shore with light rain, so it’s marginal. The afternoon on the 28th looks better: 7ft, 10-second period, combined energy 1114 (strong), and a clean cross-off breeze – that’s a solid Friday afternoon.

Saturday the 29th morning is the second real standout. We get 7ft from the west-southwest, 11-second period, energy 936 (strong), and the wind is offshore from the northwest at 25 km/h. That’s a proper groundswell, clean and punchy. On the 30th, the morning drops to 7ft from the southwest, 6-second period, offshore wind, but short period, so it’s a bit weak.

The long-range stuff from the 31st into September fades out with stronger winds and poor conditions.

So, the two best windows are Wednesday morning, 26th August for glassy, clean west-southwest swell, and Saturday morning, 29th August for a bigger, cleaner, offshore groundswell. Both are in the 7ft to 7ft range, with strong energy, and the wind is on your side.

Stay safe,
Rusty

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