Salcombe Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Salcombe over the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, it’s a bit of a slow start. The forecast window kicks off on Saturday, 8th August, but we’re looking at tiny, weak waves for days. The first recommendation isn’t until later, but I’ll walk you through it.

From Saturday the 8th right through to Tuesday the 12th, the swell is basically non-existent or just too small and messy to bother with. We’re talking 0.3 ft to 2 ft at best, with short periods and cross-onshore winds. The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 65°F with a 3°F positive anomaly, but that’s about the only good news.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Wednesday morning, 13th August. The swell picks up to 3 ft from the west, with a period of 11 seconds, and a gentle offshore wind from the WNW. The combined energy hits 274 (moderate), and the conditions are clean. Still, the score is a zero, so it’s not a standout, just a sign that things are waking up.

Thursday, 14th August, is where it gets interesting. The morning has 4 ft of west swell with a 9-second period, and the wind is glassy – a light breeze from the NW. That’s a major positive for clean surf. The combined energy is 202 (moderate). The afternoon is equally glassy with a 4 ft west swell. This is the best on offer in the first week, but it’s still not a true standout.

Things get a bit lumpy again through the weekend, with cross-shore winds and smaller swell. By Monday, 18th August, it’s fairly clean but only 2 ft and strong breezes.

Now, the real standout is shaping up for the middle of the second week. On Wednesday, 19th August, we get a 6 ft west swell in the morning, with a fresh offshore wind from the NW. The combined energy is 241 (moderate). The afternoon gets even better: 6 ft from the west, period of 7 seconds, combined energy of 367 (moderate), and clean conditions. This is the biggest, cleanest swell of the whole period. The wind is cross-offshore, which is fine. It’s getting a bit big for beginners, but for the experienced crew, this is the session to circle.

Thursday, 20th August, continues the run with a 5 ft west swell in the morning, energy at 415 (strong), and clean conditions. The afternoon is 5 ft from the west, period 10 seconds, energy 408 (strong), and clean. The forecast gives this a marginal call, so it’s a bit of a gamble, but the previous day is the real prize.

After that, it drops off again through the final days, with smaller, chopier surf and cross-onshore winds.

So, the takeaway: the first week is a write-off. The absolute best window is Wednesday, 19th August, especially the afternoon, with the 6 ft west swell and clean conditions. Thursday, 20th August is also promising but less certain. Get out there if you can.

Rusty.

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