Damneck Naval Base Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer in the local waters over the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the first week or so is a real struggle. We’ve got a long dry spell of tiny, weak, and messy surf. From Wednesday the 26th of August right through to the end of the month, the swell is barely a ripple, mostly around 1.0ft to 2ft, with a short, weak period. The winds are all over the place, mostly cross or onshore, leaving the water chopped up. It’s honestly not worth paddling out for. The combined energy of all swells directed here is weak, with values mostly in the teens and twenties (23-32). You’d be better off doing something else.

We finally see a glimmer of hope on the morning of Monday the 31st of August, with a light offshore wind from the WSW, but the swell is still just 1ft and the period is a paltry 7 seconds. It’s clean, but there’s just no power. That’s a “look but don’t get wet” kind of morning.

Now, the first real standout of the forecast comes early in September. On the morning of Tuesday the 1st of September, Damneck Naval Base gets a clean, gentle offshore wind from the West. The swell is still tiny at 1.0ft, but the period jumps to 15 seconds! That’s a very long period groundswell, which is a rare treat. The combined energy is moderate (53). This will be clean, glassy even, but it’s going to be a long wait between sets. Because of that long period, it might break a little too straight for a beach break, but the clean conditions and that energy in the water make it a promising, if tricky, session. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no wetsuit surprises there.

The following morning, Wednesday the 2nd of September, is also worth a mention. Another clean, near-calm morning with a cross-offshore breeze from the WNW. The swell is still small at 1ft, but the period is a solid 12 seconds, and the combined energy is up to a moderate 76. It’s clean, but you’ll be hunting for the little nuggets.

The best bet on offer is the morning of Friday the 4th of September. We get a glassy, near-calm morning with a slight breeze from the Northwest. The swell bumps up to 4ft from the ENE, with a short period of 6 seconds. The combined energy is moderate to strong (129). This is the biggest swell in the window, and with glassy conditions, it’s going to be the most fun you’ll have. The short period means it’ll be a bit crumbly, but for a beginner-friendly spot like this, it’s a good, fun size. It’s a little too big for absolute beginners, but it’s perfect for those looking to progress.

The morning of Saturday the 5th of September is another clean, offshore morning with a 4ft swell from the ENE. The combined energy is strong (170). It’s a repeat of the day before, but with a bit more energy. The wind is light and offshore, so it’ll be clean. Again, a solid option for the weekend.

After that, the swell starts to fade. The morning of Sunday the 6th of September is clean with a 3ft swell, but the energy is still moderate (150). The following Monday the 7th of September morning has a light offshore wind and a 2ft swell (88 energy), which is clean but small. The rest of the second week drops off into tiny, poor conditions again, with the last record on Thursday the 10th of September showing a 1.0ft swell and a choppy onshore wind. Not worth a second look.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a write-off. The standout is the glassy morning of Friday the 4th of September, with the next best windows being the morning of Saturday the 5th and those clean, long-period mornings on the 1st and 2nd of September. Keep an eye on the wind, and get out there when it’s clean.

Rusty.

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