The Breakwater-St Ives Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a tough stretch ahead. We’ve got a long, quiet run with hardly any proper surf to get excited about. The Breakwater-St Ives (St Ives) is the only spot in the frame, and it’s a real inconsistent one at the best of times. For the first ten days or so, from Friday the 31st of July right through to the end of the first week of August, it’s pretty much a write-off. We’re looking at tiny, weak waves – mostly under 2 ft – with a few days where a little 2 ft to 3 ft swell shows up, but it’s got no energy behind it. The combined energy is mostly in the 40s and 50s, which is weak. The winds are all over the place, often cross-onshore or onshore, making it messy. There’s a moment on Monday morning the 3rd of August that looks glassy with a calm wind and a 3 ft WSW swell, but the wave quality is still described as poor. It’s a tease.

There’s a bit of a lift around Saturday the 8th of August, with a 4 ft swell from the SW in the afternoon, jumping the combined energy to 164 (moderate). The wind is light and cross-shore, so it might clean up a touch, but the swell period is a short 6 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy and weak. Then Sunday the 9th has a similar size but from the NNE, with a moderate cross-offshore breeze, keeping it cleanish. Still, it’s not firing.

The best chance in this whole window looks to be on Wednesday morning the 12th of August. The swell is 4 ft from the N, with a period of 6 seconds, and the combined energy hits 142 (moderate). The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the SW. The guidance says it’s “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” which is the only time we get a score above zero. It’s not a standout by any means, but it’s the best of a bad bunch. For an intermediate surfer, that 4 ft might be okay, but the short period will make it fat and weak. The Breakwater is a point break, so it’ll handle the north swell direction reasonably well, but it’s inconsistent, so be prepared to wait.

After that, the last few days of the outlook drop off again into tiny, onshore junk. There’s a big gap of quiet days, and the forecast is far from reliable for the second week. Given the lack of consistent options, a blank run like this is more normal for the area. It’s a real shame.

Rusty.

Read more