Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next couple of weeks for Doheney Beach. Honestly, it’s a bit of a slow start, but there’s a flicker of promise way down the line if you’ve got patience.

The water here is running much warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 74°, which is a solid 7° above average. That’s pretty unusual, so you’ll be surfing in a warm bath if you get in.

We kick off Tuesday, the 11th of August, with small, weak surf. Tuesday morning you’ve got a 2ft SSW swell at 13 seconds, but the wind is cross and the combined energy is only 250 – real weak. The afternoon edges up to 2ft SW, but conditions are straight up poor. Wednesday and Thursday aren’t any better, with onshore winds and tiny, messy waves. Honestly, the first few days are a write-off.

Friday, the 14th, sees a little bump in energy. The morning swell is 2ft from the SSW with a period of 18 seconds, and the combined energy hits 551 (moderate). The wind is cross-on though, so it’s still pretty average. The afternoon cleans up slightly with a cross wind, and the swell bumps to 3ft (energy 661). It’s marginal, but at least there’s a bit more push.

The weekend of the 15th and 16th is the best of the early run. Saturday morning, 3ft SSW swell at 16 seconds, energy 619, with a light cross wind. The afternoon gets to 4ft on the same swell, energy 678. It’s small, but the wind is manageable. Sunday morning holds at 3ft before the wind picks up in the afternoon and ruins it. For a beginner-friendly spot like Doheney, which is a reef break that’s fairly consistent, these little waves are about as good as it gets right now, but crowds are likely here. The swell direction from the SSW matches the optimum for the break, which is a plus.

The following week, from the 17th to the 25th, it’s a flat spell. The swells drop back to 2ft to 3ft, and the energy is mostly weak to moderate. Onshore winds plague most sessions, and the scores are all poor or marginal. The one standout is Wednesday, the 26th of August. The morning has 3ft from the SW at 16 seconds (energy 573), and the afternoon gets even better: 3ft SW swell, 16 seconds, with a clean cross-offshore breeze and scooping up to 690 energy – that’s the strongest in the whole run. The guidance says “expect very good surf conditions,” and with the wind clean and the swell direction right, that afternoon session is the clear winner of the entire 16-day window. It’s a long way off, so take it with a grain of salt, but it’s the one to keep an eye on.

Overall, if you’re a beginner, the tiny waves on Saturday or Sunday morning might be worth a splash, but the real target is Wednesday, the 26th, in the afternoon. Until then, save your wax.

Rusty.

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