Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it.

Look, I’m going to be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are not going to have you ringing your mates to get them out of bed early. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak swell at Doheney Beach, and honestly, it’s mostly just a bunch of knee-to-waist-high lines with a whole lot of waiting in between. The energy is there, but it’s not doing much for us. The combined swell energy is mostly in the mid-200s to mid-500s – so, moderate at best, but with the tiny heights, it’s just not translating into anything rideable for most folks.

The water is a real talking point, though. We’re sitting at 73° right now, which is a good 6° warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s pretty wild – you won’t need a hood, that’s for sure. Just a warm wetsuit or even a springie.

Kicking off the forecast, Monday the 14th through Tuesday the 15th is basically a write-off for any real surfing. We’re looking at around 1ft to 2ft of SW swell with periods of 16 to 18 seconds. That long period means it’s clean-ish, but there’s just nothing to push you along. It’s onshore, so it’s just bumpy and messy. You’d be better off doing something else. The combined energy is sitting down around 259 to 308, which is weak. It’s a frustrating start.

Things barely tick up into the middle of the week. Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th see the swell bump to 3ft from the SSW, with periods still up around 16 to 17 seconds. The energy climbs into the 426 to 483 range, which is moderate, but the wind turns a bit cross-on and cross, making it a bit lumpy. It’s still not looking great, but it’s not completely dead, you know? It’s just marginal – the kind of day you check it, shrug, and maybe go for a bodysurf if you’re keen. The crowd factor’s there too, being a spot that often has people, so you won’t be alone. But there’s not much worth competing for.

Friday the 18th through the weekend of the 19th and 20th, we see the swell drop back a touch to 2ft to 3ft from the SW. The periods are still long, in that 18-second range, so it’s got a bit of push, but the heights just aren’t there. The energy actually builds to around 500 to 602 by Sunday the 20th. Still, it’s all light onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s not going to be clean. It’s still marginal. You might get one or two little runners if you’re on a longboard, but it’s not worth getting excited about.

Then we hit that long stretch from the 21st all the way through to the 27th. There’s a bit of a pattern – the swell stays small, about 2ft to 3ft, but the period starts to drop from 17 seconds down to 13 seconds. That’s a big deal because as that period drops, the waves lose their power and start to crumble and close out. It’s a lot more work for nothing. The energy is still in the 300s to 400s, so it's not totally flat, but it’s just junky. Winds are light and variable, mostly cross or cross-on, with a bit of cloud cover. It’s that kind of week where the surf report is just a series of “marginal” and “poor” messages. The 25th and 26th look particularly uninspiring, with cross-shore winds and small ripples. You’re not going to get any quality waves here.

The final few days, the 28th and 29th, the swell stays right around 2ft with periods down to 15 to 18 seconds. The energy stays moderate – around 281 to 441. Again, the wind is mostly cross, sometimes on. It's still not doing anything for us. That’s about as good as it gets, and frankly, it’s not good.

So, the honest takeaway is this: there are no standout days in this 16-day window at Doheney Beach. It’s mostly inconsistent, small, and jumbled. For beginners, the tiny size is manageable, but the poor quality and constant wind will just frustrate you. For everyone else, it’s not worth paddling out.

Given the light winds and small, weak surf at a beach setup, if you’re into the idea of it, this actually looks more interesting for a kite or foil session than for prone surfing. But for a pure surf, you’d be better off waiting for something else to come along.

This kind of blank run is normal for this stretch, so don’t get too down about it. Forecasts can change, but right now, we’re just going to have to be patient.

Rusty out.

Read more