The Breakwater-St Ives Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down the St Ives zone.

The Breakwater-St Ives is a point break that likes a west swell, and really lights up with a north-west wind. But the first week is a mess. That Monday morning, we’ve got a 10-foot west swell with a combined energy of 1581, but a 30 km/h cross-onshore is making it a total chop-fest. Lumpy, poor conditions. The swell hangs around, but the wind just won’t let up. The water temp is about 63°F, which is normal for the season.

The break is inconsistent, which is a bit of a shame, but the main issue is the wind. On Tuesday the 1st of September, we get a tiny clean window in the morning – 4 feet from the west, period 9 seconds, with a light cross-off breeze. The energy is weak (203), but it’s clean. That’s the best we see for a while. The rest of the week is a battle: strong winds, lumpy cross-shore chop, and the swell stays above 5 feet for days, with the combined energy climbing into the moderate three-digit range.

Come Saturday the 6th of September, the swell drops right off – 3 feet from the west, energy down to 119 – but we get a true standout Sunday morning. The wind swings SSE offshore, light at 15 km/h, and the surf is clean. The swell is tiny (3 feet), but it’s offshore and glassy. That’s the kind of day you don’t want to miss, even if it’s small. The crowd situation here is “sometimes” busy, so you might have a few others out, but it’s worth it.

The main event, though, is the long-range stuff. Mark your calendar for Monday the 14th of September. Monday morning we’ve got a 4-foot west-northwest swell with a very long period of 17 seconds. The combined energy shoots up to 1755 – strong. The wind is light cross-on, and the conditions are marginal, but with that kind of period, this point break will be holding lines. The afternoon gets even bigger: 7 feet from the west-northwest, 15-second period, energy at 2205. Wind is cross-shore, so it’s a bit lumpy, but this is a proper groundswell. For experts only if it’s over 8 feet, and Tuesday the 15th pushes 10 feet again, but with a strong 40 km/h cross-offshore wind. It’s clean, but only for the brave.

The best bet in the whole 16-day window? It’s a toss-up between that glassy Sunday morning the 6th of September, and the long-period groundswell on Monday the 14th. For clean, smooth waves that you can actually enjoy, the 6th is your day. For raw power and length, the 14th is the one to watch, but it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on the forecasts.

Rusty.

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