Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Doheney Beach has got cooking for us over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, the water is seriously warm – we’re talking about 73°, which is *much warmer than normal* for this time of year, so you can probably leave the thick wetsuit at home.

The forecast is a bit of a slow burn. For the first stretch, from Wednesday the 22nd right through to the end of the month, it’s pretty marginal. We’ve got small waves in the 2ft to 4ft range, but the wind is mostly cross or onshore, so the quality just isn’t there. The swell energy is moderate (between 559 and 990), but it feels like the ocean is working against us. Honestly, it’s a bit of a grind and I wouldn't rush out.

Things start to get our attention on Friday the 31st of July. The swell bumps up to 5ft to 6ft from the S and SSW, with a moderate period of 14 seconds. The energy is climbing into that strong range (1279 and 1568). The wind stays light and cross-onshore, so it’s still not perfect, but it’s getting there.

The real standout window, and the one I’d circle on the calendar, is Saturday the 1st of August. The afternoon session looks like the pick of the entire forecast. We’ve got a solid 6ft swell from the S, the wind swings around to a light WNW at 12 mph, going cross-offshore, giving us clean conditions. The swell energy is pumping at a strong 1351. That’s a proper surf day for Doheney Beach. Just keep in mind, that 6ft is getting a bit punchy for beginners.

After that little spike, it fades fast. Sunday the 2nd drops back to 5ft and the onshore wind returns. Then Monday and Tuesday the 3rd and 4th of August fall off a cliff – tiny, poor surf with energy dropping into the weak range (234 to 357). It’s a bit of a bust those days.

We do get one more interesting pulse late in the window. Thursday the 6th of August sees the swell jump back to 5ft in the morning and 6ft in the afternoon from the S, with a long period of 15 seconds. That’s a groundswell, which will bring some nice shape, but it can make the beach break a bit straight. The energy is back up strong (1102 and 1474). The wind is light and cross-shore, so it’ll be cleaner than the onshore days.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is mostly a write-off for anything epic. The clear winners are Saturday afternoon the 1st of August for the clean, punchy surf, and Thursday the 6th of August as a promising, longer-period option for the second week. Keep an eye on those days.

Rusty.

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