Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what Doheney Beach has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. Straight up, this isn’t a classic run; there are some windows of clean, long-period groundswell, but the quality flags are up for most of it. Let’s break it down, starting with the best of what’s on offer.

The standout window looks like Sunday the 30th of July through to Saturday the 3rd of August. The swell is coming in consistently from the SSW, with heights sitting between 3 ft and 6 ft. That’s a nice range for a reef break like Doheney, but listen – with that period hanging around 19–14 seconds, this is proper groundswell. That long period (sometimes very long, up to 19 seconds) means the waves will have real shape and push, but at a beach setup like this, those long lines can jack up a bit straight. Still, the energy is solid – we’re talking moderate to strong energy readings, hitting 1259 on Wednesday the 29th, so there’s plenty of push. The water temp is sitting at 71°F, which is about 4°F warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s notable, so you can feel good about not needing a full suit.

For the best chance at clean waves, aim for the mornings. The wind is mostly light and variable, with a few sessions showing offshore from the S or SSW, like Monday the 27th morning. That’s the call right there: clear sky, 4 ft of SSW swell at 18 seconds, and light wind right on the face. That’s going to be your cleanest, most lined-up surf of the whole run. Keep in mind, crowds are a regular thing here – the word is “often,” so expect company, especially on a Sunday or Monday morning when it’s looking that tidy.

A quick reality check: The second week, from the 2nd of August onward, drops off hard. The swell backs right down to under 2 ft by Monday the 3rd, with the energy reading tanking to around 130 or less. Those “poor surf conditions” labels are spot on. There’s a slight uptick around the 7th and 8th of August, delivering 2 ft to 3 ft of SSW swell with periods still in the 19–16 second range, so the energy comes back a little (415–508), but the wind is cross-shore or cross-on, and the quality is marginal at best. Nothing to get excited about there.

So here’s the takeaway: You’ve got a solid stretch between Sunday, 26 July and Saturday, 1 August, with the very best being Monday morning, 27 July. Go early, expect a crowd, and enjoy that clean, long-period SSW groundswell while it lasts. After that, it’s a long gap of limp, small surf until maybe the 7th, but even that’s a gamble.

Stay stoked, and I’ll see you in the water.
- Rusty

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