Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for our local stretch around Port Orford.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week or so is looking pretty ordinary. We've got a bit of a flat spell ahead, with just small, weak surf on offer. The first real chance to get wet comes on Wednesday, July 29th, but it's nothing to write home about. We're looking at a small 4ft swell from the WNW, but with a period of just 9 seconds, it's not got much punch. The combined energy of this swell is pretty weak (258) and the wind is a solid 12 mph from the NNW, which is offshore but it's a moderate breeze. It'll be clean, but the waves will be small and a bit average. This pattern hangs around for a few days, with the swell dropping to 4ft through Thursday and Friday, and the wind staying fresh out of the north. The combined energy dips into the low hundreds and even below 100, so it's weak. Honestly, this is more of a "have a paddle and get some sun" kind of period than a proper surf session.

We hit a bit of a lull over the weekend. Saturday, August 1st, is more of the same with small, weak waves, and by Sunday, August 2nd a fresh 22 mph northerly is blowing the top off a small 4ft swell. The combined energy spikes a bit (330) but the conditions are poor for surfing. That afternoon, a weird 1ft, 18-second long-period swell shows up, but it's so small and the wind is howling, it's a no-go.

Now, for the real story. Things start to get interesting from Monday, August 3rd, but it gets big and mean. We see a rapid increase in swell size, with a 6ft, short-period 6-second swell from the north on Monday morning, but the combined energy jumps to 484. By Monday afternoon, it's a solid 10ft from the NNW, but with a period of just 7 seconds and a 22 mph northerly wind, it's a washing machine. This is not for the faint of heart. The energy is cranking (847), but the quality is poor. This continues through the week, with swell holding between 8ft and 8ft, and the wind staying strong out of the north. The combined energy gets into the 700-900 range, showing strong energy, but it's all blown out and messy. This is big, angry, onshore wind swell. For most of us, it's a pass.

The standout window, and the one I'm actually getting a little excited about, arrives on Thursday, August 6th. The forecast shows a solid 8ft swell from the NNW, but the period stretches to 10 seconds, which is a big step up in quality. The combined energy is massive, hitting 1159 in the morning and 1367 in the afternoon. That's a lot of water moving. The wind is still a stiff 19 mph from the north, but the "marginal surf forecast" tag suggests the quality might be questionable. However, the following day, Friday, August 7th, is where it's at. The swell drops slightly to a very solid 7ft from the NNW, with a 9-second period, and the wind eases to a more manageable 12 mph from the NNW. The combined energy is still a strong 755, and the conditions are finally described as "expect good surf conditions". This is the pick of the bunch. It's big, powerful, and clean. This is for experienced surfers only.

The wave energy stays strong through the weekend of August 8th and 9th, with 6-6ft swells, but the wind is a bit stronger. The real gem might be Monday, August 10th. The morning sees a cross-offshore wind, but the afternoon cleans up with a 12 mph offshore breeze and a 8ft, 9-second NNW swell. The combined energy is 1064, and the forecast says "expect very good surf conditions." That's a serious call.

After that, the swell starts to fade heading into the second week. The waves are still in the 6ft to 6ft range, but the wind picks up again, making it less attractive. The standout is clear: Friday, August 7th and Monday, August 10th are the days to circle on the calendar for some big, clean, powerful surf at Port Orford. Just remember, when it's over 8ft, it's expert-only territory, and these waves are right on that edge. Keep your wits about you.

Rusty.

Read more