Tenby (South Beach) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer, my fellow wave hunters. I’m looking at the charts for the next couple of weeks and, well, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The water is sitting at 66°, which is a fair bit warmer than the norm for this time of year, so that’s a nice bonus.

We’re starting off this Sunday, the 26th of July, with some solid swell at Tenby (South Beach) – we’re talking 6 ft of swell from the west, with a short period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is moderate, reading 321. But here’s the catch: the wind is a strong offshore from the northwest at 19 mph. That’s going to keep the surface clean, but the wave comment says it’s poor. It’s a bit of a head-scratcher. The wind is good, but the quality just isn’t there. I’d say it’s a session for the die-hards only, maybe a kite surfer’s playground with that wind.

Moving into Monday, the 27th, the swell drops right off to 3 ft, and the wind turns cross-offshore. It’s clean, but the energy is weak, only 91. Not much to write home about. Tuesday and Wednesday are even smaller, with tiny waves and poor conditions. Honestly, it’s a write-off for the first few days.

Now, Thursday the 30th of July sees a bit of a pulse. The swell picks back up to 5 ft from the west, with a period of 6 seconds, giving us a moderate energy of 182. The wind is a cross-offshore, so it’s clean. Still, the wave comment says poor. It’s frustrating because the conditions look better than the score suggests.

Friday and Saturday are flat. Saturday morning, the 1st of August, is glassy with only 3 ft of swell. It’s a beautiful morning for a paddle, but not a surf.

The second week kicks off with a bit more promise. Monday the 3rd of August is a write-off, but Tuesday the 4th is worth a look. We’ve got 6 ft of swell from the west-southwest, with a period of 10 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy is strong, hitting 618. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the west-southwest at 19 mph. This is the best on offer in the first week, but it’s still getting a poor rating. It’s a shame, because the numbers are good.

Wednesday the 5th of August is similar in size, 6 ft, but the period drops to 8 seconds. The wind is a light cross-shore, which might cause a bit of a ripple. The wave comment finally improves to "marginal" in the afternoon, with a score of 1. That’s about as good as it gets for a while.

Thursday the 6th of August has 6 ft of swell from the west-southwest, with a period of 8 seconds and a strong energy of 434. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the north. Again, it’s a marginal call.

Now, here’s the standout. Look at Saturday the 8th of August. The morning is looking phenomenal. We’ve got an 8 ft swell from the southwest, with a period of 9 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. The combined energy is a massive 1119, which is very strong. The wind is glassy, with a light northeast breeze at 3 mph. The wave comment says "expect very good surf conditions" with a score of 3. This is the one. The swell is big, over 8 ft, so this is for experienced surfers only. It’s going to be powerful, with long lulls between sets, making it a bit of a paddle. But when it comes, it’ll be a beauty. The water will still be warm, and the conditions are going to be perfect. The afternoon turns a bit choppy, so get out there early.

After that, the swell drops off and the conditions go back to poor for the rest of the forecast period. Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th have some swell, but it’s messy with rain and strong winds.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a bit of a struggle. The best window is Saturday the 8th of August, early. That’s the one to circle on your calendar. Everything else is a gamble.

Rusty.

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