Damp Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this stretch isn’t offering much for the wave riders. The next 16 days are looking pretty bleak, with no proper surf on the cards. We’ve got a long, empty gap stretching from the start of the forecast through to the end of the first week, with barely a ripple to speak of.

The water temp at Damp is sitting at 64°, which is right where it should be for this time of year, so the only thing that’s warm around here is the water, not the wave action.

Looking at the first few days, Thursday the 27th of August is a no-go. We’ve got a tiny 3 ft easterly swell with a period of only 4 seconds and a combined energy of just 24 – that’s weak, weak, weak. On top of that, the wind is onshore and howling at 16 mph, making for poor surf conditions. Thursday afternoon is even worse, with the wind picking up to 22 mph. Friday the 28th sees a bit of a bump, but it’s still a pathetic 4 ft from the ESE with a 5-second period and energy of 50. The wind is cross-onshore in the morning, making it choppy. The afternoon cleans up a bit with a light cross-offshore breeze, but the swell drops to just 1 ft with energy of 7 – not enough to ride.

From Saturday the 29th of August all the way through to the end of the first week of September, it’s a total flat spell. Waves are completely absent, with zero energy recorded. The wind is mostly offshore or cross-offshore, which is a tease – clean conditions, but nothing to push a surfboard into. Saturday the 5th of September finally shows a glimmer of a pulse, but it’s a measly 1 ft from the SSE with a 2-second period and energy of 1. The wind is cross-shore, creating a chop. Not worth paddling out for.

The second week doesn’t get any better. From Sunday the 6th of September onwards, we see a few more tiny, sub-2 ft swells with periods under 4 seconds and energy barely registering. The wind does turn offshore for many of these sessions, often with a moderate to fresh breeze, but the complete lack of swell size and period means the ocean is flat, clean, and empty. By the 11th of September, we’re still looking at the same story: 1 ft to 2 ft of weak, short-period swell with energy in the single digits. The offshore winds are a welcome sight for the soul, but they’re blowing over nothing.

To be honest, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing if you’re desperate for a thrill, but for a surfer, it’s a blank run. The only break on the list, Damp, is a sandbar that’s inconsistent, and the forecast proves it – it rarely breaks in these conditions. I’d say put the board away for a bit, grab a cold one, and wait for the next pulse. The forecasts can change, but right now, there’s nothing to get excited about.

Rusty.

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