Nanwan Beach (South Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, it's Rusty here.

Well, let's be straight with you. Right now, and for the next solid week or so, we're looking at a whole lot of nothing down at Nanwan Beach (South Bay). The surf is flat, tiny, and pretty much a write-off. We're talking ankle-snappers and knee-high dribble for days on end. The energy is just pathetic, with combined wave energy values in the weak range (down around 38 to 158 for most of this period). There are a few clean windows with the north-east winds keeping things tidy, but honestly, there's just no swell to work with. It's a bluffer's paradise, all show and no go. You'd be better off finding something else to do.

Then, just when you think it's all over, the ocean wakes up. We've got a solid period of surf arriving in the second week. The first pulse hits on Monday the 14th, but it's a messy, stormy affair with strong cross-shore winds and rain. The energy jumps, hitting a strong 837, but the quality is poor. It's not until Wednesday the 16th that things get interesting, with the swell really filling in. The energy is off the charts, hitting a very strong 3812 in the morning and a massive 4977 in the afternoon. The swell is pushing 12ft with a period around 11 seconds, but you need to be an expert for this one – it's way too big for the average punter. The winds are onshore and messy, making it a real washing machine.

But hold on, the standout of the whole run is the morning of Thursday the 17th. The sea god finally smiles on us. The swell is still a fun 7ft from the SSW, the energy is a strong 1182, and the wind goes totally glassy. Absolutely dead flat. That's the one you want. It's going to be perfect, clean lines. The waves will have some good punch to them. It's still a solid size, so it's not for beginners, but for anyone with a bit of experience, this is the session to clear your calendar for. It's what we've been waiting for.

After that, it starts to back off again. Friday the 18th sees some drop in size, and the winds turn a bit more cross-off. There's a little bump in size and a long-period groundswell coming in from the east around Monday the 22nd of September. The energy is back up to a strong 907, with the swell hitting 4ft and a period of 16 seconds. That long period could make it a bit straight at the beach, but it still could be worth a look as a cleaner option.

So, to sum it up: this week is a dead loss. Don't even bother. The first real highlight is the 16th if you're a big-wave charger, but it'll be messy. The gem is definitely the glassy morning of the 17th. That's your one. The week after has a couple of interesting pulses, but we'll have to see how they shape up.

Remember, the water's sitting right on average for this time of year at 84°, so no worries there.

Take it easy.

Rusty.

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