The Breakwater-St Ives Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for The Breakwater-St Ives over the next couple of weeks.

Truth be told, the next ten days or so are a bit of a write-off. The swell is tiny, the wind is all over the shop, and the energy is just pathetic. We’re talking combined swell energy values down in the double digits – like 25 and 33 – which is barely a ripple. You’ll see a bit of a bump around the 27th of August with some 3ft swell from the W, and a clean offshore wind from the S on the Thursday morning, but even then the energy is only 82 and the period is a short 8 seconds. It’s just not enough to get excited about.

The real story, and the only thing worth marking on the calendar, kicks off right at the end of the month. On Saturday the 29th of August, the swell starts to really push through. You’re looking at 8ft from the W, with a combined energy of 746 – that’s moderate wave energy, finally some grunt in the water. The period is a short 8 seconds though, so it will be a bit of a lumpy, fat wave. The wind on the Saturday morning is a cross-shore from the W at 25 km/h, so it’ll be a bit messy. The Saturday afternoon cleans up nicely with a cross-offshore wind from the WSW at 20 km/h, and the wave comment even says "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions" with a score of 2, which is the best we’ve got. This is a point break, so it’s fairly exposed to that NW optimum direction, though the swell is coming from the W. This one is for the intermediates and up – that 8ft to 8ft swell is a serious step up and not for the faint-hearted. Expect it to be the standout, but it won't be perfect.

Then, Sunday the 30th of August morning sees a drop back to 6ft from the WSW, with a clean offshore wind from the SSW at 30 km/h. It’s got that fresh offshore feel, which is a major positive for clean faces. The energy is 334 – moderate – but the period is a snappy 7 seconds, so it won’t have much push. This is a good option for a solid session, but it’s not the big day.

After that, the swell fades quickly. By the start of September, we’re back to tiny 3ft or less, and the wind swings onshore or cross-on, making it pretty grim. There’s a long gap of mostly poor conditions from the 31st of August right through to the end of the forecast.

So, to be blunt: there’s nothing worth paddling out for until the 29th of August. That Saturday afternoon and the Sunday morning are your windows. It’s not going to be epic, but it’s the only real surf on offer. The water temperature isn't mentioned in the data for this spot, so no call on that.

Stay patient. It’s a flat spell, but it’ll turn.

- Rusty

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