Duckpool Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m gonna be straight with you. This stretch doesn’t have much to get excited about.

Look, Duckpool Bay is exposed to the west, and the swell direction is mostly coming from the west, which is about right, but the wind is a constant problem. For the first week and a half, it’s onshore or cross-onshore almost every day, often moderate to fresh, and that’s just ruining the shape. The surf is there, but it’s ragged, lumpy, and choppy. The combined wave energy jumps around a bit, but it’s mostly in the moderate range, between 97 and 934 units, but it’s all wind-affected.

The real pity is that there’s a decent pulse of swell around the 7th and 8th of September. We’re looking at 7ft to 8ft from the west, with a period around 9 to 11 seconds – that’s not bad, but the wind is a cross-onshore mess, and it’s too big for beginners. Anything over 8ft is expert-only, but this sits just under that, so a confident intermediate could handle it if the wind wasn’t trash. The 8th of September morning has a combined energy of 1431, which is strong, but it’s blowing 12 mph from the WSW, making it choppy.

The first real stand-out is on the 14th of September. The morning of Monday the 14th is looking glassy. Light wind from the south at 3 mph, clean conditions. The swell is 3ft from the west, with a very long period of 12 seconds. That’s proper groundswell. The combined energy is 273, solid. This is a long-period swell, which can be a bit straight at a beach break, but Duckpool is a bay, so it might line up alright. It’s the cleanest surf in the whole forecast. Crowds are sometimes a thing here, so you might have some company. Because it’s two weeks out, treat it as promising, but you know how forecasts change.

After that, the 15th and 16th of September mornings are glassy again, but the swell drops to 3ft and 2ft, with periods around 10 to 11 seconds. The energy is weak to moderate (185 to 191). They’re surfable, but ordinary. The wind is light and glassy, so it’ll be clean, just small.

The water temperature is 66°F, which is 4°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s notably warm, a real bonus.

Overall, there’s a long, frustrating gap of poor conditions from the start all the way to the 13th, with only the 14th morning offering a true window of clean, decent-sized surf. The rest is a write-off for a paddle surfer. If you’re a kiter, honestly, the wind and swell on the 8th might look interesting, but for a stick, it’s a tough watch.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on that 14th.

Rusty

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