Duckpool Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’ll level with you. I’ve been staring at Duckpool Bay for the next 16 days and, honest to God, it’s one of the quietest runs I’ve seen in a while. There’s barely a pulse of energy out there, and what little shows up comes with wind that’ll tear it to bits. This ain’t a time to get excited – it’s a time to be patient.

The first surf worth mentioning doesn’t even show up until Saturday the 22nd of August, and even then it’s only a little 2 ft swell from the west at 10 seconds. That morning, the wind is light and cross-off from the ENE, so it’s clean. The combined energy is weak (77). It’s surfable, but just barely. I wouldn’t bother paddling out unless you’re desperate.

The rest of that weekend into early next week is flat as a pancake. Swell drops to 0.7 ft, period goes long but the height is useless. A few mornings have glassy or offshore wind, but there’s nothing to ride. It’s a blank stretch.

We finally see a bit of life around Thursday the 27th of August, with a modest bump in combined energy to 149 (moderate), but the swell is only 3 ft, period 8 seconds, and the wind is cross or cross-on. It’s messy, and the report says poor surf conditions. Not worth a trip.

The only real standout – and I’m using that term loosely – is Friday the 28th of August, morning. The swell picks up to 5 ft from the WSW, period 6 seconds, and we get a moderate cross-off breeze from the NNE. The combined energy jumps to 178 (moderate). It’s clean, and the wave comment says “poor surf conditions” but that’s just the raw data talking – if you’re local and keen, that 5 ft with cross-off wind could be a fun little session. The swell direction is west, which matches the optimum for this spot. But be aware: this break is inconsistent, so don’t expect a conveyor belt of waves.

That afternoon, the wind swings cross-on and the swell jumps to 6 ft, but the energy goes up to 383 (strong) and it will be lumpy. That’s a kite surfer’s window, not a paddle surfer’s.

The last week of August into early September is a slow fade. Swell heights drop below 2 ft and the wind is mostly onshore or cross. The combined energy is weak, under 100. There’s a little window on Friday morning the 4th of September with a 0.7 ft, 14-second swell and offshore wind, but it’s tiny. That’s a long-period groundswell, but at 0.7 ft you’re not surfing anything.

Water temp is about average for the time of year – nothing to write home about.

Bottom line: if you’ve got a board with a lot of foam, the morning of Friday the 28th of August is your best bet. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game. The area is known for being inconsistent, so this dry spell ain’t a shock. Hang tight.

Rusty

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