Tenby (South Beach) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, this time in feet and miles per hour for those who think in imperial.

Looking at Tenby (South Beach) for the next couple of weeks, and I’ll be honest, the start is a bit of a bust. The first few days are a total loss for decent surf, with small, weak, and messy conditions. We’ve got a bit of a wait before anything worthwhile rolls in.

The water is running at about 66°, which is a solid 5° warmer than what’s normal for this time of year – that’s a noticeable warm patch, so you can definitely leave the thick wetsuit behind.

We start off with nothing doing. Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th are poor surf conditions; there’s some swell around on Monday but the wind is all wrong, and it’s rated as marginal at best. Tuesday the 8th and Wednesday the 9th bring a bit more size, but it’s all sloppy with onshore or cross-off winds ruining the shape. Honestly, not worth the effort.

From Thursday the 10th through to Wednesday the 16th, it’s a long, flat spell. The swell is small, inconsistent, and the wind stays mostly onshore or cross-shore, keeping the waves chopped and unappealing. There’s nothing here that would get a local out of the house. It’s a proper lull.

Now, things finally turn around on Thursday the 17th of September. This is the standout window. We’ve got a solid SW groundswell moving in, with waves around 6-7 feet in the morning and pushing to 7+ feet in the afternoon, coming from the WSW. The period is about 7-8 seconds, so it’s not a super long groundswell, but the combined energy is moderate to strong (439 in the morning, 714 in the afternoon). The wind is offshore from the NW in the morning, turning cross-off in the afternoon. That means clean, lined-up surf. This is the best bet in the whole forecast. Keep in mind, over 7 feet is getting solid – this is for the experienced crew, especially with the tide and sandbars at South Beach. The afternoon session on the 17th looks like the one to go for.

Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th offer rideable waves but nothing special. The swell drops back to 3-4 feet from the WSW with a nice 10-second period, and the wind is light or glassy at times. It’ll be clean but not particularly exciting. Good for a log or a funboard if you just want to get wet, but not the day to call in sick for.

Sunday the 20th and Monday the 21st see a bit more size again, but the wind swings onshore from the ESE, which kills it. The waves will be lumpy and blown out. Not recommended.

So, to sum it up: suffer through the flat spell and the junky days, and mark your calendar for Thursday the 17th of September. That’s the session with the most energy, cleanest conditions, and the best chance of a proper wave. After that, it’s back to small and average. Stay patient, and keep an eye on the charts.

Rusty.

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