Nanwan Beach (South Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's be real about the next couple of weeks. The first week is a total write-off for paddling, with tiny, weak swell and poor wind. Things finally start to show some life early in the second week, but it's a long wait.

We start off with nothing. Friday the 31st of July, the waves are a pathetic 2 ft from the southwest with a short period, and the water is a warm 85°, which is about average for this time of year. Combined energy is a measly 60, so it's flat. That's the story for the next few days: swell between 1 ft and 2 ft with poor conditions. Sunday the 2nd has a cross-shore wind at 12 mph, not even worth a look.

Finally, on Monday the 3rd of August, there's a glimmer. The afternoon brings a clean 3 ft easterly swell with a period of 16 seconds, and the wind turning offshore from the northwest at 6 mph. The combined energy jumps to 466, which is moderate. That's the first real chance, but it's small.

The standout is Tuesday the 4th of August. Nanwan Beach (South Bay) is looking clean with a 5 ft easterly swell in the morning under glassy conditions. The period is 16 seconds, giving it proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is a solid 1021. The afternoon picks up to 5 ft from the east with a 19-second period, and the wind is a clean cross-off from the northwest. Combined energy is 1841. That's excellent, but at 5 ft and long period, it's going to be a bit much for beginners – better for the experienced crew. The easterly direction is a good match for the optimum swell here.

Wednesday the 5th is still fun but dropping. The morning has 7 ft easterly swell (18-second period) and a cross-off wind, but it's a bit windier at 12 mph. It's a marginal tide call, but still a decent wave for those who know what they're doing. By the afternoon, the swell collapses to 2 ft.

After that, the wind goes completely haywire. From Friday the 7th through Monday the 11th, we get strong to near-gale winds from the west and west-southwest, blowing 25 to 37 mph. The swell is massive, hitting 15 ft, but it's a complete mess. The combined energy is in the thousands, but with cross-shore winds and risk of thunderstorms, it's unsurfable. Honestly, with that setup, it's more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

By Tuesday the 12th of August, the wind drops to a fresh breeze and the swell settles to 8 ft, but it's still cross-shore and lumpy. The following days from the 13th to the 15th see the swell drop back to 5 ft to 6 ft, with clean cross-off winds and moderate breezes. The combined energy is moderate, and the conditions are cleaner, but it's nothing special compared to that Tuesday peak. If you held out for the first week, the 14th of August afternoon has a solid 5 ft southwest swell with a light cross-off wind and a combined energy of 406 – a good, clean option to end the run.

All in all, the best bet is the Tuesday afternoon session on the 4th of August. It's a proper window of quality groundswell with clean conditions. After that, it's a waiting game for the wind to chill out.

- Rusty

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