The Breakwater-St Ives Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Well, I’ve got to be straight with you – this is a tough one. The whole 16-day outlook is a bit of a struggle, with nothing that really screams "get in the water." The first surfable option we see is at The Breakwater-St Ives, a point break that’s inconsistent and only really gets going on a NW swell. The water is sitting at 64°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s one small comfort.

The first real pulse of swell arrives around Sunday the 26th of July. We’re looking at a 6ft swell from the west, with a moderate cross-onshore wind (16 mph) making it choppy and lumpy. The combined energy is moderate (228-326). It’s not great, but it’s the best we’ve got for a while. The wave period is short, around 6-7 seconds, so it’s not going to have much shape. With the wind on it, this is more of a windy mess than a clean wave. Given the beach-and-reef setup and the onshore wind, this might actually look more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Monday the 27th brings a bit more size, with 6ft to 7ft from the WNW, but it’s under a fresh onshore breeze (19 mph). The energy is strong (348-404), but the quality is poor. This is only for experts who don’t mind a wrestle, as it’s too big for beginners. The period is still short, so expect lumpy, crumbly faces.

After that, the swell drops off quickly. By the end of July and into August, we’re seeing small, weak swell (0.7ft to 2ft) with very low energy (4-91). The wind stays mostly onshore or cross-onshore, with a few moments of cleaner conditions. Friday the 31st of July afternoon has a cross-offshore wind from the WSW, which is a positive, but the swell is only 2ft with a 9-second period. It’s clean, but tiny.

From the 1st of August onwards, there’s a small bump of 4ft to 5ft from the north with moderate cross-onshore wind, but it’s not enough to get excited about. The energy is moderate (155-214), but the wind direction kills any hope of clean waves.

Honestly, the standout – if you can call it that – is the morning of Friday the 24th of July. There’s barely any swell (2ft from the north) but it’s glassy. It’s a flat spell, but if you’re desperate for a paddle, that’s the cleanest window. The combined energy is weak (21), so don’t expect much.

The rest of the period is a long gap of poor surf. The inconsistent nature of The Breakwater means this blank run is pretty normal for the area. It’s not a great run, but the forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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