Nanwan Beach (South Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the coming weeks.

The first bit of the outlook is a bit of a slow start, but from Monday the 3rd things start to pick up, and we’ve got a real standout day on Tuesday the 4th that’s worth circling on the calendar. There’s a decent run of surf through the first week, but the second week gets messy with some serious size and strong winds, so we’ll need to pick our moments.

The water temp is sitting right on 85.1°F, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

Nanwan Beach (South Bay) is the only spot on the radar. It’s a beach and reef setup that’s fairly consistent and exposed to the south-east. The optimum swell direction is from the SE, so when it comes in from the east, it’s a little off-angle but still works.

Sunday the 2nd is a write-off – tiny little waves around 1.3ft to 1.0ft, and the wind is a bit messy. You’re better off waiting.

Monday the 3rd morning sees a clean 2.3ft east swell with a 15-second period, and the wind is light and cross-off. That’s a nice, clean start to the week. The combined swell energy is moderate at 299. By the afternoon, the swell ticks up to 3.0ft from the east with a 16-second period, and the energy jumps to 489. Still light winds, still clean. It’s surfable, but not the best of the run.

Now, Tuesday the 4th is the standout. Morning starts off glassy with an easterly swell of 4.3ft and a 16-second period. The combined energy is strong at 857. The wind is glass – that’s a big positive, you’ll be surfing clean, peeling waves. By the afternoon, the swell pushes to 4.9ft from the east, energy hits 1127, and the wind is still cross-off and light. This is the best session on offer, and it’s not too big for a good intermediate surfer. Crowds are possible here, so get out early.

Wednesday the 5th morning is for the more experienced crew. The swell is 5.9ft from the east, period up to 17 seconds, and the energy is very strong at 2009. The wind is cross-off and clean. Because the period is long, it’ll be a classic groundswell – more energy, longer lulls between sets, but the waves will be well-shaped. This is better suited to the reef section of the break. The afternoon drops right off to 2.0ft, so don’t sleep in.

Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th are a write-off. The swell is small and from the west/south-west, and the wind gets strong on Friday – 28 mph cross-off. That’s not paddle-friendly.

Saturday the 8th through to Wednesday the 12th is a big, messy period. Swell sizes jump from 9.8ft up to 18.0ft, with periods between 7 and 12 seconds, and the wind is howling from the west at 31-40 mph. The combined energy is massive – 4885 up to 7986. This is not surfable for paddle surfing. The break is a beach and reef setup, and with that much wind and size, it’s more interesting for kite surfing. The wind is cross-off, but those are gale-force conditions. Stay on the beach.

Thursday the 13th still has a massive 11.5ft swell from the south-west, and the wind is 28-25 mph. The forecast says the swell is too big for this break. I’d agree.

Friday the 14th is still 9.8ft from the south-west with a fresh breeze, and the conditions are marginal. Not worth it.

Now, we get into the second week, and there’s a bit of a silver lining. Saturday the 15th looks promising. The swell drops to 8.2ft from the south-west, with a 9-second period, and the wind is a light 9 mph from the west-northwest. The energy is strong at 1087 to 1254. The conditions are clean. This is a solid option for experienced surfers, but it’s still a big swell for intermediates.

Sunday the 16th is the best of the second week. The swell is 9.8ft from the south-west, period 9-10 seconds, and the wind is light and cross-off. The energy is strong at 1402 to 1493. The forecast says excellent conditions for experienced surfers. This is a late-period standout, but remember it’s a week and a half out, so treat it with a bit of caution. If it holds, it’ll be the best of the second week.

By Monday the 17th, the swell drops to 7.5ft and the wind picks up a bit. Conditions are marginal. Not a priority.

So, to wrap it up: Tuesday the 4th is the absolute best of the whole forecast – glassy, clean, 4.3ft to 4.9ft east swell with a long period. Get in the water early. Sunday the 16th is a promising later option if you

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