Doheney Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – this 16-day window for Doheney Beach is a tough one. We’ve got a bit of a wait before anything really gets going. The first recommendation doesn’t pop up until Tuesday morning, the 8th of September, and even then, it’s a one-off bright spot in a long, flat-ish stretch. From Tuesday afternoon, we’re looking at a solid run of marginal to poor conditions right through until the 16th of September. That’s over a week of pretty average offerings. So, let’s get into it.

The standout moment, and really the only one that’s worth paddling out for, is Tuesday morning, the 8th of September. Doheney Beach is a reef break, exposed to the SSW swell, and that morning it’s pulling in a clean 3 ft wave from the SSW with a 10-second period. The combined energy is a solid 511, which is decent, and we’ve got a cool cross-off breeze from the WNW at 9 mph. That wind is going to keep the surface glassy and clean. The water temp is sitting at 73°, which is a huge 5° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s proper tropical-feeling water, so you’ll be alright in a spring suit or even just a rashie. The catch? This spot can get crowded, and with a forecast like this, everyone will be sniffing out the same wave. It’s a beginner-friendly break, so that crowd might be a bit of a mixed bag.

But after that Tuesday morning session, the wheels fall off. Tuesday afternoon, the wind picks up to 16 mph from the WNW, still cross-off, but the wave drops to 3 ft, and it’s just poor. Then from Wednesday the 9th through to Tuesday the 15th of September, we’re looking at a long string of mornings and afternoons with tiny surf – 1 ft to 4 ft – and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore. The swell periods bounce around a bit, including some long-period 16 to 19 second groundswells, but with the wind messing it up, it’s not going to hold shape. The combined energy numbers are mostly in the 200 to 400 range, which is weak. For a beach-and-reef setup like this, those long-period swells would normally be better on a point or reef, but the wind is just killing it.

We do get a little flicker of hope heading into the second week. Wednesday the 16th of September morning has a 3 ft SSW swell with an 18-second period, light onshore wind, and combined energy of 524. It’s still marginal, but it’s the best-looking thing in a while. The 18th of September morning has a 2 ft SW swell with a 19-second period and energy of 515, but again, cross-onshore wind. The 20th of September morning has 3 ft from the SW with 18 seconds and 544 energy, but we’re back to a cross-shore wind. The 21st of September morning is the best of the late run, with 3 ft from the SW, 17-second period, and a combined energy of 632 – that’s moderate energy – and light cross-shore wind. That could be a fun little session for a longboard, but it’s not a standout.

So, if you’re after a wave, your best bet is that Tuesday morning, the 8th of September. Get in early, enjoy the warm water and the clean conditions, and don’t expect much for the rest of the fortnight. This is a stretch where the consistency is low, and it’s just not going to be pumping. Still, forecasts can change, and it tends not to stay this poor for long.

Rusty.

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