Nanwan Beach (South Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next 16 days for us here. Gotta be straight with you: the first week or so is a real struggle. We’ve got a long, quiet stretch with hardly any surf worth paddling out for. The first real pulse of energy doesn’t show up until Tuesday, July 28th, and even then, it’s a tricky one.

For the first few days, from Tuesday, July 21st through to the weekend, it’s all small, weak, and messy. Swell heights are barely breaking 3ft, with a short period of 7 seconds – that’s just wind chop, not groundswell. The combined energy is weak, barely cracking 107. It’s a tough time to be a surfer here. About the only thing you can do is watch the horizon.

Now, the big change comes on Sunday, July 26th in the afternoon. The wind swings onshore from the ENE at 31 mph, and the swell jumps to 8ft from the east, with a combined energy of 898. That’s more power, but it’s a near-gale, cross-shore mess. The swell is short period and lumpy. Honestly, this looks more like a kitesurfing setup than a paddle surf one.

The standout, and I mean the only real standout in the whole window, is on Tuesday, July 28th in the morning. The swell is big – 12ft from the SSW with a period of 11 seconds – and the combined energy is a massive 2956. That’s a proper, powerful groundswell. The wind is light and onshore from the SE, but here’s the catch: Nanwan Beach (South Bay) is a beach and reef break, and with that size (over 8ft), it’s going to be for experts only. The swell direction is a bit off from the optimum SE direction, and the onshore wind will put some bump on the face. It’s a heavy, powerful, and dangerous day. The water temperature is 85°, which is about average for the time of year.

The trend continues big through the following days. Wednesday, July 29th has 8ft swell from the SW, but with onshore wind and a shortish period of 8 seconds, it’s going to be choppy and hard to manage. The energy is still strong, but the quality is poor.

Then, on Tuesday, August 4th, we get a window of cleaner conditions. The morning has 8ft swell from the SW with a light offshore wind from the WSW, and the combined energy is 753. The forecast is for very good surf. But the real jewel is the afternoon of Tuesday, August 4th: 10ft from the SW with a light offshore breeze from the WNW. The combined energy jumps to 1463, and the conditions are clean. This is excellent for experienced surfers.

Wednesday, August 5th brings the biggest swell yet – 13ft from the SW with a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 3733. The wind is light and offshore (NW and WNW). This is a giant, powerful swell, but it’s way too big for this break. Only absolute experts should even look at it, and even then, it’s a risk.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a dud. The best bet is the afternoon of Tuesday, August 4th, with 10ft groundswell, clean conditions, and a light offshore wind. That’s your window. The rest is either too small, too windy, or too big for comfort.

Rusty.

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