Kimmeridge Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking straight at what we’ve got for Kimmeridge Bay over the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it’s a tough run. The whole 16-day window is a real mixed bag, and most of it is just not worth paddling out for. There are long gaps where the surf is junk, and we’ve got to wade through a lot of nothing before anything even gets close to decent.

Right now, starting on Monday the 31st of August, it’s all a write-off. We’ve got a 6 ft swell from the WSW but it’s getting hammered by a strong 22 mph cross-off wind, making it messy. The combined wave energy is moderate at 535, but the conditions are poor. That trend sticks for days. Tuesday the 1st and Wednesday the 2nd are tiny and choppy, with swell barely reaching 2 ft and onshore winds ruining any shape. The water temp is a very unusual 69°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a proper anomaly of 7° – but that’s the only interesting thing.

We don’t see anything rideable until Monday the 7th of September morning, when a light 6 mph cross-off from the NW cleans up a small 3 ft swell, but it’s weak, with energy at just 34. The afternoon picks up to 6 ft from the SW with a gentler cross-shore wind, and the energy climbs to 189, but it’s still not great. Tuesday the 8th morning is the first real glimmer: a tiny 3 ft swell, clean under a slight NNE breeze, and the wave comment calls it “surfable but ordinary.” It’s the best we’ve seen, but it’s still only a 1/10 quality score internally. The energy is low at 78.

After that, it’s back to poor surf. Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th bring more onshore wind and lumpy conditions. Thursday afternoon shows a brief window of clean 4 ft surf from the SW with a cross-off wind, but the energy is moderate at 155. Still, the conditions are “poor.”

Then there’s a real standout, if you can wait for it. On Monday the 14th of September morning, Kimmeridge Bay gets a solid 8 ft swell from the SW, with a 7-second period. The combined energy is a strong 666, which is proper power. The wind is light and cross-shore at 6 mph, so it could be glassy. Now, 8 ft is big – this is expert territory only. It’s a reef break that is very consistent and exposed to the SW, and the optimum direction matches. It’s the one true standout in the whole run, but it’s for experienced surfers only, and crowds are likely. The afternoon turns choppy again as the wind swings onshore.

After that, Tuesday the 15th is back to small, weak, and onshore. The rest of the week is a bust.

So, to be straight with you: there’s almost nothing good for the first 12 days. The only day that fires is Monday the 14th of September morning, and only if you’re an expert and can handle the size and the crowd. For everyone else, this is a long blank spell. It’s a shame, because the reef can hold a wave, but the winds just aren’t cooperating. If you’re into kitesurfing, some of those windy, choppy days might look more interesting than paddle surfing.

Stay patient. Things can always change.

Rusty

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