Nanwan Beach (South Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, checking in from the South Bay. Right now, we’re looking at a bit of a slow start, but there’s some serious potential down the line, if you’re willing to wait for it.

The first real surf on offer kicks off on Wednesday afternoon, August 5th, at Nanwan Beach (South Bay). We’ve got a solid chest-to-head high groundswell rolling in from the East at 6ft, with a super long period of 17 seconds. That long period means the energy is deep and powerful, and with a combined energy of 2082 (moderate), it’s got some grunt. The water temp is sitting right around 86°F, which is pretty average for this time of year. The wind is a gentle offshore from the NW, keeping things clean. This is an excellent session for experienced surfers, but be aware, the long period makes it tricky at a beach-and-reef setup – it’ll be lining up better on the reef sections. Also, this spot can get crowded often, so get there early.

Things drop off after that. Thursday, August 6th, fades to small, weak waves around 4ft with a short period, and the wind goes cross-offshore. The energy drops to 208 (weak), and it’s pretty ordinary. Friday and Saturday are a write-off with howling winds in the 25-31 mph range, making a mess of things. Sunday, August 9th, through Tuesday, August 11th, sees a massive, dangerous swell hit – 12ft to 13ft from the SW. The combined energy peaks at 2980 (strong) on Sunday. This is way too big for this break, and even the wind reports say it’s favorable but the swell is too big. Forget about it unless you’re a madman. The whole first week is a slog.

The second week finally shows some life. From Friday, August 14th, the swell settles back to a more manageable 7ft from the SW, with a period of 9 seconds. The energy is 689 (weak to moderate). The wind is light, so things will be clean. It’s a marginal forecast, but the conditions are looking good for a solid session. The best bet of the whole run actually looks like Wednesday, August 19th. We get a 6ft SW swell with a 10-second period, combined energy of 728 (moderate), and a light offshore from the NW in the morning. The forecast says "very good surf conditions." That’s your standout window. It’s not a monster, but it’s clean, rideable, and the most promising day in a pretty rough forecast.

Overall, there’s a huge gap of poor to dangerous surf from the 6th through the 13th. Patience is key. The highlight is the 19th, but the 5th is a quality, powerful session for the crew that can handle it.

Stay frothy,
Rusty

Read more