Doring Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s shaping up at Doring Bay – a solid reef break that’s exposed to the southwest. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, nothing unusual to report there.

Alright, straight up: the opening of this forecast period is a bit of a beast. Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th are pumping with a solid 10ft SW groundswell, period hanging around 13 to 14 seconds. That’s a whole lot of ocean moving, and the combined energy is massive (3169 to 3278). The wind’s okay – Thursday morning has a light cross-on breeze, but by afternoon and into Friday, we’re looking at clean, glassy conditions with offshore winds. The problem? This break is going to be way too big for most. Those 10ft sets are only for the experienced crew, and even then, you’d want your wits about you. For the average punter, this is a spectator day. Not a beginner’s wave at all.

Saturday the 8th sees the swell drop a touch to 8ft, but the wind gets cranky – strong cross-off and cross-shore breezes messing up the surface. The energy is still high (2288, 2063), but the quality’s not there. Honestly, it’s a pass. Sunday the 9th? Forget it. The swell jumps back up to 11-12ft with 28 mph winds. That’s not surfing, that’s survival. The energy number is wild (7192), but unless you’re charging slabs on a big gun, give it a miss. Monday the 10th drops to 7ft in the morning, cleaner with offshore wind, but it’s still lopsided and the scores are low. Not worth paddling out for the effort.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Tuesday the 11th right through to Friday the 14th, it’s a mix of onshore wind, poor conditions, and marginal surf. The energy drops off, the wind is strong or cross-shore, and the wave quality is just not there. Saturday the 15th is still average. A gap of about 5 days where I wouldn’t bother.

The standout window arrives Sunday the 16th. This is the one. Morning brings 5-6ft SW groundswell, period at 13 seconds, and – get this – *glassy conditions* with zero wind. The energy is moderate (1011), and it’s an excellent setup for experienced surfers. The wave direction matches the optimum SW swell, and the reef should be handling that long period nicely. It won’t be super consistent, but the quality will make up for it. This is the pick of the bunch. Afternoon stays clean, just a light cross-off breeze. Keep an eye on the crowds here – Doring Bay can get busy sometimes, so get in early for the glass.

Monday the 17th is also worth a look. Morning is glassy again, smaller at 4-5ft with a 12-second period, and the energy is lighter (560). It’s clean, very surfable, and ideal for intermediate surfers who want a less intimidating day. The wind stays light and offshore, so the waves will have some shape.

After that, Tuesday the 18th to Thursday the 20th brings a bit of a swing. The swell picks up to 8ft again, but the wind goes cross or cross-off, and the chop builds. Thursday the 20th morning does have clean conditions with a 7ft SW swell and light wind, which is good for experienced surfers again, but it’s not as pristine as the Sunday standouts.

Friday the 21st ends the forecast with a 6-7ft SW swell and clean cross-off wind – a solid option if you missed the earlier windows.

So to sum it up: the first few days are for experts only, then we get a quiet patch, and the real highlight is Sunday the 16th – glassy, clean, and 5-6ft of SW groundswell. Monday the 17th is a close second for a more relaxed session. Get on it.

– Rusty.

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