Kimmeridge Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, grab a coffee, 'cause I've had a proper look at the next couple of weeks for Kimmeridge Bay, and to be honest, it's a bit of a tale of two halves. And by that, I mean the first half is pretty damn flat, and the second half... well, it's still flat, but the wind's offshore.

The whole period is a real struggle for surf. We're looking at a lot of small, weak swell and onshore winds messing things up. The water, though, is something else – we're talking a very unusual 68°, which is a solid 6° warmer than it should be for the start of September. That's a real gift if you do end up getting out there, even for a paddle.

Right, so the opening days are a write-off. Saturday the 5th has a bit of swell but it's tiny, a 0.7ft cross-off is the best of it with weak energy (49) and the call is just poor surf. Sunday is even worse, with the swell dropping to a pathetic 0.7ft and a cross-on breeze. You'd be better off checking the tide pools.

Monday the 7th sees a bit of a pulse, with the afternoon showing 4ft of WSW swell, but it's short-period and the energy jumps to a moderate 536. The problem is the wind swings to a fresh cross-on, making it lumpy and messy. The morning has cleaner conditions but the swell is only 2ft. It's still a no-go for a proper surf.

We finally get a glimpse of something surfable on Tuesday morning the 8th. The swell is a clean 4ft from the WSW with a light cross-off breeze, and the energy is a moderate 116. The report even says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” That’s our best score of the whole run, but it's still a 1 out of 10. It's a tiny window, and the afternoon goes straight back to onshore junk.

From then on, it's a proper dry spell. The swell stays small, often under 3ft, and the wind is mostly from the west or southwest, which puts a cross-on chop on everything. Thursday the 10th gets a bit of size, hitting 6ft in the afternoon, but it's a short-period windswell and a strong cross-on wind is going to have it blown out and messy. Not worth the fight. The energy is moderate (237), but the quality just isn't there.

The following week, from the 13th onwards, the swell just dies completely. We're talking 0.7ft, then 0.3ft waves. The wind turns offshore and it'll be glassy and clean, but you could waterski across the bay. The energy readings are nearly zero – you won't find any surfable waves. Thursday the 18th has a bit of a longer period in the water, 14 seconds from the west, but the height is just 0.3ft, so it's all for nothing.

Honestly, the only one that comes close to a standout is Tuesday morning the 8th. 4ft of WSW swell, clean conditions, and it's a reef setup which will help it hold some shape. But don't get too excited. It's still small and ordinary. If you're a beginner, this is all a no-go anyway. Most days the swell is under 3ft and the one day it gets to 6ft, it's going to be a pain to paddle in that chop.

For the most part, the bay is going to look better for a kite or a wing than a surfboard, especially when that southwest wind kicks in. All the energy is there, just not in a form that's any good for a wave. This is a real test of patience. Keep your board in the car, but be prepared to just enjoy the warm water and the sun.

Rusty.

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