The Breakwater-St Ives Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on the table for The Breakwater-St Ives. We’ve got a long window ahead, but I gotta be straight with you – it’s a bit of a mixed bag. There’s definitely some size coming through, but the wind and conditions are going to be the big players here.

We kick off on Sunday, 30 August. The morning’s got a clean 6 ft swell from the WSW at 9 seconds, but that fresh 30 km/h SSW wind is blowing cross-offshore, so the surface might be a bit wonky. Wave energy is moderate (477). Honestly, it’s not the best start – the data says it’s poor. The water temp is about average for this time of year at 64°F. Sunday afternoon gets a bit bigger at 8 ft, but there's a risk of thunderstorms and more strong cross-off wind, so it’s a pass for me.

Monday, 31 August, sees the swell jump to 10 ft from the W, with a solid 10-second period. That’s a lot of energy (1536), but the wind is cross-onshore and lumpy – not the clean, peeling wave you want. This is expert territory at that size, and with the messy conditions, it’s one to watch from the beach.

Tuesday, 01 September, brings a drop in size. Morning has a 4 ft W swell at 9 seconds, with a gentle cross-off breeze. It cleans up (203 energy), but it’s only surfable – nothing special. Afternoon is similar but smaller.

Now, Wednesday, 02 September, is frustrating. You’ve got a 6 ft to 7 ft W swell, but that wind is a fresh 35 km/h cross-off. It’s too strong for clean waves, creating a bumpy surface. The energy is moderate (348-548), but the quality just isn’t there.

Thursday, 03 September, is a bit better. Morning brings 6 ft from the WSW at 8 seconds, with a moderate cross-off breeze. It’s clean (394 energy), but the conditions are marginal – a tide issue maybe. Still, it’s the most promising of the early days. The swell direction is from the WSW, which matches the optimum NW direction only somewhat, so it’s not a perfect fit.

The highlight, and the one I’d circle on the calendar, is Friday, 04 September. We’ve got a strong 10 ft W swell, with a period that builds from 9 seconds in the morning to a very long 12 seconds by the afternoon. That’s serious groundswell energy (1510 to 2421). The wind is a fresh cross-shore, which is a lot better than onshore. But here’s the thing: that long period (12 seconds) makes it a groundswell, and at a point break like The Breakwater-St Ives, that’s a good thing. It’ll wrap in and produce some nice lines. However, at 10 ft, this is strictly for experienced surfers only. The conditions are still a bit lumpy with cross-chop, but the core energy is there. This is the standout.

After that, it drops off quickly. Saturday, 05 September has some smaller swell (5 ft to 4 ft), but the wind switches onshore or cross-onshore, which is not great. Sunday, 06 September is tiny – 1 ft to 2 ft – with no energy (49-78). There’s a gap of several days of poor-to-nonexistent surf.

Monday, 07 September, gives a little pulse: 5 ft to 6 ft W swell at 11-12 seconds, with gentle cross-off winds. It’s clean (698-873 energy) and the conditions are marginal but better. It’s a decent session if you’re keen, but not a standalone standout.

After that, from Tuesday, 08 September, through to the end of the forecast on Monday, 14 September, it’s a long stretch of tiny, weak swell with onshore or cross-shore wind. The energy is low (mostly under 100), and the waves are small and poor. It’s a blank run, really. For this area, that’s fairly normal in a quiet spell.

So here’s the call: The real winner is Friday, 04 September with that big, long-period groundswell. It’s the one day where the combination of size, direction, and period lines up. Be aware it’s a big swell for experts only, and there’ll be some chop. The next best is Thursday, 03 September for a cleaner, smaller session.

Stay safe, and don’t get too hyped on the long-range stuff – the second week looks flat.

Rusty.

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