Duckpool Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: this is a tough stretch for Duckpool Bay. We’re looking at a whole lot of nothing for the next week and a half, with only a couple of fleeting moments that might be worth a paddle. The water is sitting at a touch warmer than normal at 64°, but that’s where the good news ends.

The overall pattern is grim. For the first several days, from Saturday the 18th right through to the end of July, the wind is mostly onshore, cross, or cross-on, and the swell is tiny, weak, and short-period. The combined swell energy sits at a paltry 30 (low energy) for the first session, and it doesn’t really get going until much later. Most of the time, the wave comment is “poor surf conditions,” which is the polite way of saying it’s not worth getting wet.

We’ve got a long gap of poor surf until we hit Thursday morning, the 23rd of July. That morning, we see a little window: a clean, cross-off breeze from the NNE at 9 mph, with a 3 ft swell from the N. The combined energy is still only 56 (weak), and the period is a short 5 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit weak and bumpy. The note says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” which is about as optimistic as it gets here. It’s not a standout, just the least bad option.

Then things go quiet again until Monday the 27th, when the swell finally starts to push up. But the wind is onshore from the W at 16 mph, making a mess of things. The swell hits 5 ft from the W, with a combined energy of 226 (moderate), but the period is still a short 7 seconds. This is not a clean wave; it’s going to be choppy and blown out. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The real, only true standout in this whole 16-day window comes on Tuesday the 28th of July. The morning shows a clean, cross-shore breeze from the NNW at 9 mph, with a 5 ft swell from the W. The combined energy jumps to 352 (moderate), and the period is 7 seconds. The wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions,” but with the cleaner wind and a bit of size, this is the best on offer. It’s not perfect, but it’s the only time the numbers line up for a proper session. Expect a bit of cross-chop, but it’s your best bet. Crowds are possible here, as it’s known to get busy.

After that, we’re back to onshore wind and poor conditions through to the end of the forecast. The swell gets bigger, hitting 7 ft on Friday the 31st of July, but the wind is straight onshore, making it a messy, expert-only affair. The combined energy hits 567 (strong), but it’s wasted on a bad wind.

Bottom line: if you’re desperate, the morning of Tuesday the 28th of July is your window. The rest is a write-off. Don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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