Nanwan Beach (South Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, so let’s break it down day by day.

The action kicks off on Tuesday the 4th with some clean morning waves at Nanwan Beach. It’s a beach and reef setup, pretty exposed, so it picks up whatever’s around. We’re looking at chest-high waves around 4ft from the east with a long 16-second period. That’s proper groundswell energy, a solid 900 units of it. Water temp is a warm 85°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year. Light offshore cross-off breeze from the NNE will have it glassy and clean. Crowds are often a thing here, so get in early. It’s not the biggest, but that long period makes it feel way better than the size suggests. This is a solid start.

Wednesday the 5th is where things get properly good. The swell builds to a head-high 6ft from the east with the same 17-second period, and the energy jumps way up to 2207. Morning has a light cross-off, but the arvo is pure magic: offshore from the NW, clean faces, and it’s going to be firing. This is the standout of the first week. For an intermediate surfer, this is as good as it gets. Expect some power and proper shape. If you can only surf one day, make it Wednesday.

Then we hit a flat, poor stretch. From Thursday the 6th through Saturday the 8th, the swell drops off and goes short-period, all under 9 seconds. The wind cranks up from the WNW, getting to a strong breeze by Friday and Saturday. The waves are small and crumbly, with energy barely cracking 200-900. Honestly, it’s a write-off for surfing. Saturday’s got some size pushing 8-10ft, but it’s a choppy, blown-out mess with that strong cross-off wind. This setup looks way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Save your energy.

Sunday the 9th sees the swell get big – 12ft from the WSW – but it’s just too big for this break. It’s an expert-only zone at that size, and with 45 km/h winds, it’s not worth the risk. The energy is huge, 1886, but the wind is going to shred it. Monday the 10th is similar, with 13ft waves and a risk of thunderstorms. This is dangerous, not fun. We’re in a gap here where there’s no good surf on offer; it’s all too big, too windy, or the quality is just gone. This poor run lasts for about four days.

Things start to settle down on Tuesday the 11th, but it’s still oversized and wonky, with 10ft waves and strong winds. The quality is just not there. We’re looking at a few more days of marginal, too-big surf until we get to the second week.

Finally, we get a bit of relief on Thursday the 13th. The swell drops to a more manageable 8-8ft from the SW, and the wind finally eases off. The arvo is the pick: light westerly breeze, clean, and the energy is still pumping at 1425. The period is a solid 11 seconds. This is for experienced surfers, but it’ll be worth it. This is the second standout of the window.

Friday the 14th stays fun, with 6-7ft SW swell and light winds. Clean and consistent, good for a solid session. The weekend of the 15th and 16th brings smaller waves, back down to 5-6ft. It’s not as powerful, but it’s still rideable and clean. Good for getting out there if you don’t mind a smaller wave.

The last couple of days, the 18th and 19th, see the wind swing onshore from the SSW, making things choppy again. The swell is there, around 7ft, but the quality is poor. Not worth the paddle out.

So, to wrap it up: Wednesday the 5th is the must-surf day, no question. Then Thursday the 13th is your other solid window. Everything else is either too small, too big, or too windy. It’s a frustrating stretch in the middle, but those two days are worth waiting for.

Rusty

Read more