Widemouth Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks around Widemouth Bay.

Honestly, mate, I’m looking at this run and it’s a bit of a tough one. We’ve got a long stretch ahead where the surf just isn’t playing ball. For the first week, from Wednesday the 5th right through to Tuesday the 11th, it’s pretty much flat or rubbish. There’s a little bump of 6 ft on Wednesday morning, but with a short period of 7 seconds and a strong 16 mph onshore wind from the WNW, it’s just a messy, blown-out wash. The combined swell energy is only 290 (weak to moderate) and it’s not doing anything for us. The water temp is sitting at 65°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only good news.

After that, we get a few days of tiny, weak waves – nothing over 1.0 ft until Wednesday the 12th. That morning, we see a slight lift to 3 ft from the west with a period of 10 seconds, and the combined energy bumps up to 117 (moderate). The wind is a light cross-onshore from the WSW, so it might be a little bumpy but it’s the first time it looks even vaguely ridable. Still, it’s nothing to write home about.

Now, if you’re an experienced surfer and you’re desperate, you might want to look at Thursday the 13th. The swell builds through the day, hitting 5 ft in the afternoon from the west with a 9-second period. The combined energy is a solid 381 (moderate to strong). But here’s the kicker – the wind is a consistent onshore 12 mph from the west all day, so it’s going to be lumpy and blown out. This is a beach and reef setup, and with that much onshore wind and a short period, honestly, it looks more interesting for the kite surfers than for paddle surfing.

The real standout – if you can call it that – is Saturday the 16th of August. We get a bit more size, with 6 ft from the west, period at 8 seconds, and combined energy hitting 408 (strong). But again, the wind is a moderate cross-onshore from the NW at 12-16 mph. It’s not clean, but it’s the biggest and most powerful the swell gets in the whole window. For a beginner, 6 ft is getting a bit much, and with the chop, it’s really only for the experienced crew. There’s a brief glimmer on Monday the 17th when the wind goes cross-off from the SSE, cleaning things up a bit on a 4 ft west swell, but that’s short-lived as the wind cranks up again.

All in all, it’s a bleak run. The breaks are fairly consistent in this area, so it tends not to stay this poor for long, but this forecast is pretty locked in. The second week offers a bit more energy but no real quality. If you’re a die-hard, Saturday the 16th is your best bet, but keep your expectations low. The water’s a touch warmer than usual, but that’s the only silver lining.

Rusty.

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