Westward Ho Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, I've had a look at what's coming up for Westward Ho! over the next couple of weeks, and I've got to be straight with you, it's looking pretty bleak for a proper paddle. The combined energy figures tell the story – we're looking at weak to moderate energy at best, with the biggest pulse hitting about 640 on the 1st of September, but that's coupled with some horrendous wind. The water temperature is a balmy 66°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won't be freezing while you're sitting there staring at choppy lumps.

The trouble starts straight away. Tuesday the 18th kicks off with a 5ft swell from the west, but a strong cross-onshore breeze is making it a messy, choppy affair. The energy is a moderate 176, but the wind is killing it. That trend sticks around for days. Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th bring a bit more size, up to 6ft on Thursday morning with energy hitting 315, but it's cross-onshore again, so you're just battling a bumpy surface. Everything's getting a 0 score for a reason – it's just not surfable for a decent ride.

We finally get a brief window of something a little cleaner on Friday the 21st. The morning has a light cross-offshore breeze from the NE at 9 mph, and the swell is tiny, only 2ft. The energy is weak at 81, but the conditions are reported as clean. It's surfable but very ordinary, barely a knee-high dribbler. Saturday morning the 22nd is even smaller, 1ft, but you get a gentle offshore wind from the ESE at 9 mph. The energy is a paltry 57, but the wave comment says it's clean. For a complete beginner on a foamie, you might find a little gutless roller to practice your pop-up on, but don't expect to be hanging ten.

After that, it just flatlines. The rest of the month and into the start of September sees swell heights dropping to 0.7ft with energy figures in the teens and twenties. The wind shifts around, but there's just no power in the water. Even when a 3ft swell shows up on the 25th of August with 191 energy, it's accompanied by a fresh cross-shore breeze, so it's lumpy and messy.

The only time we see a notable pulse is on the 1st of September. The combined energy jumps right up to 640 and 692 on the Tuesday, with swell heights of 8ft and 8ft from the W/SW. But look at the wind – fresh cross-onshore, making it lumpy and blown out. At that size with those winds, Westward Ho! is going to be a washing machine. The period is only 8 seconds, so it's windswell, not groundswell, so you won't get that long, clean wall. That's more of a kite-surfing setup than anything you'd want to paddle out into unless you're an expert looking for a real beating, and even then the quality looks awful. The same goes for the 2nd of September with 6ft and cross-onshore winds.

Honestly, if you're determined to get wet, the very early mornings of Friday 21st or Saturday 22nd of August offer the only real chance of something clean, but it's tiny. Otherwise, we've got a long, blank run of poor surf ahead. The forecasts can change, but for now, leave the board in the car.

Rusty.

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