The Breakwater-St Ives Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve got the goods for The Breakwater-St Ives. This is a point break that’s pretty exposed to the swell, but it’s inconsistent – it’s not a spot that’s always pumping, so when it does come alive, it’s a treat. The water temp is sitting right around 63°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The overall pattern for the next 16 days is a bit of a slow burn, with a lot of marginal or poor conditions early on, but there’s a window of promise right at the end. The surf is pretty much non-existent for the first week and a half, with only weak, short-period swells and messy winds. The energy is low, generally under 100 (37 to 98) for the first week, which is just not enough to get excited about. The only real standout is way off in the distance, on the morning of Saturday, September 5th. That’s your best bet, but it’s a long way out, so keep your expectations in check.

Let’s break it down. From Wednesday, August 26th, right through to Thursday, September 3rd, it’s a write-off. The swell is tiny, mostly under 3 ft, and when it does get a bit bigger around the 28th and 29th of August, the wind is howling, 28 to 31 mph, with messy cross-chop. The swell is mostly from the W or WSW, but the period is short, 6 to 8 seconds, meaning weak, crumbly waves. The combined energy is moderate for a couple of days, like 399 to 1477, but the wind and swell quality are just poor. The breakwater might be exposed, but it’s not handling this combo well.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on the morning of Saturday, September 5th. The swell is 6 ft from the W, with a period of 7 seconds, and the energy is moderate at 381. The magic is in the wind – it’s glassy, calm. That’s going to make the surface clean as a whistle. The break is a point, so it can handle a bit of a longer period, but this is a short-period swell, so it might be a bit fat and lumpy on the takeoff. Still, with glassy conditions, it’s your best chance. The crowd can be out sometimes, so get in early.

The rest of the run is a mixed bag. The morning of Sunday, September 7th, has a bit of hope with a 5 ft swell from the W, period 8 seconds, and energy at 374. The wind is cross-off from the SSE, so it’s clean, but it’s only rated as marginal. The week after that, from the 8th to the 10th of September, the swell drops off hard, with weak, short-period energy (131 to 253) and onshore or cross winds, so it’s back to poor conditions.

So, to sum it up: the only standout is the morning of Saturday, September 5th, with glassy conditions making that 6 ft W swell clean. Everything else is a washout. The Breakwater is inconsistent, so a long gap like this is normal for the area. Stay patient.

Rusty

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