Widemouth Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, folks. Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you about Widemouth Bay. I’ve been staring at the charts and, honestly, it’s a tough stretch ahead. We’ve got a solid 16-day window to look at, but the first week and a half is pretty much a write-off.

The overall pattern is one of persistent onshore winds and messy, weak surf. The energy is just not there for the most part. We’re looking at a long gap of over a week with nothing really worth paddling out for. The wind is mostly cross-onshore, and the waves are choppy and lumpy. It’s the kind of stuff that’ll just frustrate you.

Let’s walk through it. Starting off on Tuesday the 8th of September, we’ve got a moderate 6ft west swell, but it’s being hammered by a fresh 15-22 mph northwesterly. Combined energy is moderate at 497, but it’s a messy, cross-onshore chop. Not good. Wednesday and Thursday are even smaller, with the swell dropping to below 3ft and the wind still spoiling it. Friday the 11th sees a little bump back to 5ft, but again, the wind is on it. The combined energy is 421, but it’s just not clean. Saturday and Sunday are more of the same—weak and choppy.

Then we get to Sunday the 13th, and there’s a moment of hope. A 5ft west swell with a period of 8 seconds, and the wind finally goes light and onshore. The wave state is unknown, but it’s a marginal call. The energy is 313, which is moderate. It’s the best-looking thing in the first week, but it’s still a gamble.

The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is on Friday the 18th of September. That afternoon, we get a glassy session. A 4ft west swell with a period of 11 seconds, combined energy of 289, and the wind drops to almost nothing from the northwest. That’s clean. The wave state is glassy. That’s the one. It’s the only time in the whole forecast where the conditions come together for a proper surf. The swell is a solid waist-to-chest high, and the wind is off. It’s a beach and reef setup here, so that long period will give it some shape. Crowds are often an issue at Widemouth, so you’ll want to be out there early.

The rest of the second week is a letdown. The 19th offers a tiny bit of glass on the morning, but the swell is down to 3ft. After that, it’s back to onshore wind for the rest of the period. The 21st brings a long-period swell (16 seconds) but it’s accompanied by a strong 28 mph cross-onshore wind—that’s a mess, and honestly, it looks more like a day for the kite surfers than us paddle guys.

So, to wrap it up: the first 10 days are a grind. The one bright spot is the afternoon of Friday the 18th of September. That’s your best bet. Mark it on your calendar, but don’t get your hopes too high for anything else.

Rusty.

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