Dahomey Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee, listen up. This is Rusty, and I’ve got the scoop on the local waves for you.

To be straight with you, it’s a pretty grim outlook for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a long stretch of flat to tiny, messy waves ahead. The only place with any real potential is Dahomey, but even that’s a tough sell. The water temp is sitting at 76°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, a solid 4° above average.

Let’s start with the first real chance of a wave. Monday the 13th of July brings a pulse of energy. We’re looking at a 4 ft swell from the NW with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is a moderate 169. The wind is a cross-shore breeze at 12 mph, which will leave some chop on the surface. It’s not great, and the conditions are still poor. That afternoon, the swell bumps up to 4 ft, but the wind strengthens to 16 mph, making it messier. This isn’t a standout day, just the first chance to get wet.

The best we’re going to see in this entire 16-day window – and I use “best” loosely – looks to be around Sunday the 19th of July. We get a 3 ft swell from the NW with an 8-second period on the morning of the 19th. The energy is moderate at 165, and it’s paired with a 9 mph cross-shore breeze. It’s still a clean-ish cross-shore, which is our best wind condition. This is a beginner-friendly height, but with that short period, it won’t have much push.

The afternoon of the 19th sees the swell building to 4 ft with a touch more energy (172), but the wind swings cross-onshore at 12 mph, so it’s going to get choppier. Sunday the 19th is the closest thing to a highlight, but it’s not a day to write home about.

Following that, there’s a long gap with no recommendations. The surf tries to pick up again on the 20th and 21st of July, with swell heights hovering around 3 ft to 4 ft from the NNW and NW. The energy climbs higher, with one reading hitting 224 on the 20th afternoon. But the wind is always either onshore or cross-onshore, keeping the conditions messy and poor. There’s nothing clean on offer.

So, the honest truth? The next two weeks are a write-off for decent surf. The energy is there in the water at times (moderate values in the 100s and 200s), but the wind and swell quality just aren’t lining up. It’s a blank run for the area, and it’s not unusual to have a stretch like this. Wait for the next forecast update.

- Rusty

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