Towan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I’ve got to be straight with you – the first week and a half is a real struggle. We’re looking at a long, drawn-out run of nothing much to get excited about. From Friday the 31st of July all the way through to the 9th of August, the surf is just poor. Tiny, weak, messy. It’s a real tease. The water’s sitting at 65°F – a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, which is nice if you’re just floating around, but it’s not helping the waves.

The best chance we get in this whole period is a couple of days around the 4th and 5th of August. On Tuesday morning, the wind swings offshore from the SW, and we get a clean 3ft swell from the WSW. The period is short though, only 8 seconds, so it’s a bit of a weak, crumbly affair. The combined energy is only moderate (128). It’s clean but it’s small. Same goes for Wednesday morning, with a slightly bigger 5ft swell from the same direction, but still that short 7-second period, making it a bit lumpy despite the offshore wind. The energy goes up a notch (236), but it’s still not a standout. These are your only real shots at something surfable, and they’re for beginners or longboarders only.

Then, on Sunday the 9th of August, things get a bit wild. The swell jumps to 8ft from the W, with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is massive (915). That’s a lot of water moving. But the wind is a cross-shore from the NNW at 12 mph, which is gonna chop it up. It’s a big, powerful, messy wave – only for the experts. The beach/harbour setup at Towan won’t handle that energy well. It’s honestly more interesting for the kite surfers than us paddle surfers.

After that, the 10th and 11th of August see a drop in size, down to 5ft to 3ft, with clean conditions again. The wind is cross-offshore or offshore, so it’s tidy. But the period is still short (7-8 seconds), so the waves are weak and gutless. The energy is moderate (248 down to 146). It’s better than a flat spell, but it’s not a day you’d race to the beach for.

The final few days, from the 12th to the 15th of August, are a total write-off. The swell drops right off to under 2ft, and the wind is a fresh cross-onshore breeze. The combined energy is pitiful (under 100). It’s a flat, blown-out mess.

So, the standout – if you can call it that – is Wednesday morning the 5th of August. It’s the biggest clean swell we get, but the wind is cross-offshore and the period is short, so it’s not perfect. The best all-round conditions are probably Tuesday the 4th of August, with that 3ft clean offshore swell, even if it’s small. Don’t plan a road trip around it.

Rusty.

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