Nanwan Beach (South Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I've been staring at the charts for Nanwan Beach (South Bay). Let’s get into it.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a late start. Nothing worth paddling out for right this minute, but the good stuff starts to build from Monday 3rd August. The water temp is sitting at 85°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year – nothing weird going on there.

Monday 3rd August kicks off with a tiny, clean 2ft easterly swell, but the combined energy is still weak (323). It’s more of a longboard cruise than a proper session. The afternoon picks up to 3ft with a 16-second period, and the energy bumps up to a moderate 504, making it a bit more interesting.

Now, Tuesday 4th August is where it starts to get good. The morning swell builds to 4ft from the east, period hanging at 16 seconds, with the combined energy jumping to 905 (moderate). But the real standout is Tuesday afternoon. The swell hits 5ft from the east with that long 16-second period, and the wind goes glassy – dead calm. The energy is solid at 1174. That is the pick of the first part of the week. Clean, lined-up waves with that long period groundswell will be running nicely along the beach and reef setup. Keep an eye on the crowds though – this spot can get busy, and with conditions like that, everyone will be out.

Wednesday 5th August is the big one for experienced surfers. The swell pushes up to 6ft from the east, with a very long 17-second period. The combined energy is roaring at 2207 (strong). The morning looks cross-off with a light W wind, so the waves will be holding shape. This is excellent surf, but it's getting into that size range where it's too much for beginners. If you know what you're doing, this Wednesday morning is the absolute highlight of the entire forecast. The afternoon stays solid at 6ft with similar energy.

Then things go downhill fast. From Thursday 6th August through to the end of the first week, the wind swings onshore and absolutely howls. The swell changes direction to the WSW and the period drops to a weak 8 seconds. By Friday 7th, the wind is 31 mph and the wave quality is just poor. Sure, the swell size climbs, but with that wind? Forget it.

The second week gets wild but unrideable. From Sunday 9th August through to Wednesday 13th August, we’re looking at 15ft to 16ft swell, with combined energy readings of 4000 to nearly 7000 – that's strong to very strong energy. But it's accompanied by 28–34 mph winds and cross-shore conditions. This is not paddle surfing territory. At a beach and reef setup like this, it's a kite surfer's dream, not ours. Even on Thursday 13th, when the wind eases to 19 mph, the swell is still 12ft – too big and messy.

The tail end of the forecast, from Friday 14th August onwards, sees the swell slowly dropping back down to 5ft to 7ft, with clean conditions and light winds. The combined energy drops back to moderate levels. The Sunday 16th afternoon and Tuesday 18th afternoon look promising again, with that 5ft southwest swell and some glassy conditions, but it’s a distant promise after the stormy middle of the month.

The Standouts: Wednesday morning 5th August for the experienced crew – 6ft, 17-second east groundswell, and clean conditions. And for the more relaxed surfer, Tuesday afternoon 4th August – 5ft, 16-second swell with glassy wind. That's your window.

Rusty.

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