Nanwan Beach (South Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. We’ve got a pretty grim run ahead at Nanwan Beach (South Bay) for the first week and a half, but there’s a solid pulse of energy coming in the second week that could make it worth hanging in there.

Alright, for the next several days, it’s bleak. Tuesday the 1st kicks off with messy, stormy conditions – a 13ft SW swell with a short 10-second period, but the wind is howling cross-on at 22 mph, making it lumpy as hell. The water’s a warm 84°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. That big swell hangs around Wednesday and Thursday, but with more risk of thunderstorms and strong cross-onshore winds, it’s just not happening. By Friday the 4th, the swell drops to 8ft, but it’s still choppy and cross-onshore, only a marginal call. Saturday the 5th sees the swell crash down to 4ft with light SSE offshore wind in the morning, but the combined energy is weak (161) and it’s still poor. Then from Sunday the 6th right through to Friday the 11th, we’re in a flat spell – swell barely above 2ft, with clean but gutless conditions. The combined energy sits in the 30s to 60s, just pathetic. Saturday the 12th afternoon offers a tiny pulse of hope: 2ft from the east with a long 11-second period, light offshore NW wind at 12 mph, and 183 combined energy – surfable but very ordinary. That’s the only flicker in a week of nothing.

Now for the standouts. Sunday the 13th is the one to circle. Morning sees a 10ft ESE groundswell with a very long 13-second period, clean under moderate NW cross-offshore wind – combined energy is strong at 2947. This is big, powerful surf, but watch out: that long period will make it dumpy and straight at a beach setup like this, better suited for experienced surfers who can handle the paddle out between sets. The afternoon gets even better: 12ft from the ESE at 14 seconds, fresh NW offshore wind at 19 mph keeping it clean, and the combined energy jumps to 4428. This is proper big-wave territory, over 8ft, so only for the experts. The wind is offshore and clean, which is a major positive, but the size and long period mean it’s not a beginner’s day. Crowds are often an issue here, so expect company if you’re game.

Monday the 14th afternoon is another good option: 8ft ESE swell with a 13-second period, light NNE cross-offshore wind at 9 mph, combined energy of 2042. It’s still big, but the wind is clean and the conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. The morning is onshore and messy with an 8ft swell, so the afternoon is the pick. Tuesday the 15th morning has a 10ft east swell at 13 seconds and moderate NE cross-offshore wind, but the marginal tag suggests it’s not as clean. Still, it’s big with 3483 combined energy. After that, it fades fast back to flat.

Overall, the first 11 days are a write-off – a long gap of nothing. The real action is from Sunday 13th to Tuesday 15th, with Sunday afternoon being the best on offer: big, powerful, offshore, and clean, but only for the brave. If the swell direction had matched the optimum SE angle better, it’d be a total standout, but as it is, it’s still a cracker for those who can handle it.

Rusty.

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