The Breakwater-St Ives Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cookin’ for The Breakwater-St Ives over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first week is a tough one to swallow. We’re looking at a real dry spell. From Thursday the 6th of August all the way through to Tuesday the 11th, there’s barely a ripple worth paddling for. The swell is tiny, mostly under 2ft, and the wind is a mess – cross-on or onshore most of the time, which just chops everything up. The combined energy is weak, barely whispering (16 to 102). It’s a total write-off for a surfboard.

We finally get a pulse of life on Wednesday the 12th of August. The swell bumps up to a more respectable 4ft from the W, with a period of 10 seconds. That’s a bit of groundswell energy, and the combined energy jumps to a moderate 226, which is a real step up. The wind swings SW, giving us a cross-off breeze, and the conditions are described as clean. This is the first session that’s actually surfable, but it’s still just ordinary, not a standout.

Thursday the 13th of August is where things get interesting. Morning session is the best of the whole run. The swell holds at 4ft from the W, period at 10 seconds, and the wind goes glassy – a light SSE at 3 mph. That’s the kind of clean you dream about. The combined energy sits at 235 (moderate). For a point break like The Breakwater-St Ives, with its optimum swell from the NW, this W swell is a bit off-angle, but that glassy wind and decent energy makes it a real gem. It’s inconsistent, so you’ll have to be patient, but when a set rolls through, it’ll be worth the wait.

After that, we get a few more days of so-so conditions. Saturday the 15th sees a bump in swell to 4ft from the W, but the wind is cross-on and cross, making it lumpy. Sunday the 16th of August morning has a nice offshore wind from the S, but the swell is a bit weak at 4ft from the WSW, and the period is a short 8 seconds. The energy is moderate (212), but it’s not setting the world on fire.

Monday the 17th of August brings a shift – the swell jumps to 5ft from the N, but the period is a miserable 6 seconds, and the wind is howling onshore at 22 mph. That’s blown-out and chaotic. The combined energy is 269 (moderate), but this is a mess for a point break. Honestly, with that much wind and a short-period wind swell, it looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer.

The outlook fizzles out again after that, with tiny swell and weak energy through to the 21st.

So, the standout window is clear: Thursday the 13th of August, early morning at The Breakwater-St Ives. That glassy morning with 4ft of W swell is your best bet. Just be ready for the inconsistent sets.

Rusty.

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