Widemouth Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright my friends, let's have a look at the charts and see what Mother Nature has in store for us. And I gotta say, it's a lean couple of weeks. We're looking at a lot of flat, frustrated days.

Right now, starting Sunday the 16th, Widemouth Bay is just an ankle-slapper. A weak, onshore mess with a 7-second period. Honestly, you'd get more thrill splashing in a puddle.

The start of next week ain't much better. Monday and Tuesday the 17th and 18th have a bit more height, up to about a 4ft wave, but it's short-period, jumbled up, and the wind is on it. It's a gritty, energy-sapping kind of surf, not a fun one. The combined energy is weak to moderate, so there's just not much punch behind it.

By Wednesday the 19th, the swell builds to around 5-6ft. Now we're talking about some proper size, but the wind is howling onshore, turning the bay into a frothing mess. Combined with rain showers, Wednesday looks like a total washout. This is more like a wind-swept lake than a surf break.

Thursday the 20th is the biggest of the first week, with a 5-6ft west swell and solid energy. But again, the onshore wind ruins it. It's strong, raw, and very challenging. Only for the experienced who don't mind getting thrashed.

Then we hit a big, fat zero. From Friday the 21st right through to Monday the 24th, the swell completely disappears. We're talking 0.5ft to 2ft of dribble. The wind might be offshore and clean, but there’s nothing to catch. A proper flat spell.

There's a tiny bump mid-week starting Tuesday the 25th, but it's short-period and mixed-up. Not even worth the walk down the cliff.

Now, the real 'interesting' period is at the very end. Saturday the 29th of August. We see a jump to a solid 7-8ft swell from the west, and the energy numbers go through the roof. There is a huge amount of power in that water. But, and it's a big but, the wind is blowing a gale from the west. This, my friends, is not a surfing day unless you're a glutton for punishment. At that size and with that wind, Widemouth Bay is going to be a violent, white-water chaos. This is a day for the kite surfers, not for us paddle surfers. That size is well beyond beginner territory and even for experts it's going to be a battle with the elements.

The following days, the 30th and 31st, continue with strong winds and solid, but junky, surf. Lots of water moving but no quality.

The long-range stuff looks promising for size, but the wind is just blowing out every opportunity. There aren't any standouts. The water temp is running a couple of degrees warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a nice bonus, but it's cold comfort when there's nothing to ride.

Bottom line: this is a rough stretch. A blank run like this can happen. But this place doesn't stay flat forever. The forecasts can and will change, so keep your eyes peeled. For now, find another hobby.

Rusty.

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