Woolacombe Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first week and a half is a real struggle. We’ve got a long, quiet spell to get through. The first glimmer of anything worthwhile doesn't show up until the morning of Wednesday the 13th of August, and even then, it’s nothing to write home about. The swell is tiny and the wind is straight onshore. It’s going to be a tough grind.

The real trouble is the lack of size and energy. From Friday the 7th right through to the morning of Monday the 17th of August, we’re looking at knee-to-waist high dribble at best, with the wave energy barely getting into double digits. The combined energy sits at a meagre 13 on the 7th and barely climbs past 100 until the 13th. The 15th of August has a bit of an offshore breeze, but the swell is just too small to get excited about – 1ft from the WSW with a short period of 8 seconds. It’s clean, but it’s not doing anything.

Things start to look a little more interesting on the morning of Tuesday the 19th of August. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the west, with a period of 7 seconds and a moderate east-northeasterly offshore wind. The combined energy jumps to 240, and the surf is clean. That’s big enough to get a few fun ones, but at that size and on a beach break, it’s going to be a bit closed out with that short period. It’s a solid improvement, but not the standout.

The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is the morning of Thursday the 20th of August. This is the pick of the entire forecast. The swell is a punchy 5ft from the west, with an 8-second period, and the wind is glassy from the east-southeast. The combined energy is a solid 291, and the water is a touch warmer than normal at 65°, which is a bonus. The conditions are glassy, meaning the surface will be like a mirror. This is a proper session for the experienced crew. That size is a bit much for beginners, but for everyone else, clear your schedule.

After that, the swell backs off a touch but stays rideable. The morning of Friday the 21st of August is glassy again with a 3ft west swell, and the energy is still decent at 140. The morning of Saturday the 22nd of August brings a clean, moderate offshore wind from the east, with a 3ft west swell and a nice 10-second period, keeping the energy at 158. Both are solid, clean options, but they don’t hold a candle to that Thursday session.

So, to sum it up: the first week and a half is a write-off. Don’t bother. The only day worth chasing is the morning of Thursday the 20th of August. It’s the one true standout. Get on it.

Rusty.

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