Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

The whole 16-day stretch is a bit of a mixed bag. We’re lookin’ at a long run of surf that’s technically rideable, but conditions are pretty ordinary for the most part. The first few days are a write-off for anything decent, and we don’t really see anything worth paddling out for until the second week. There’s a solid gap of over a week of marginal, unexciting surf before things finally start to look up.

We kick off on Saturday, 1 August at Port Orford. The morning has some small 3ft WNW swell, but the energy is weak (94) and the period is a short 8 seconds. Winds are offshore from the NNW at 12 mph, keeping things clean, but the waves are just too ordinary to get excited about. The afternoon actually gets worse, with the swell dropping to 2ft and wind picking up to 19 mph. Not a good call.

Sunday, 2 August sees a bit more size, with 5ft WNW swell in the morning, and the energy climbs to 446 – moderate now. It’s still a marginal call. The wind is a fresh offshore from the north at 19 mph, so it’s clean, but the quality is lacking. By Sunday afternoon, we’re up to 8ft from the NW, but the wind is a strong 25 mph offshore, making it hard to paddle into. That’s a pass for most.

Monday, 3 August through to the end of the first week, the swell hangs around 7ft to 8ft from the NNW, with short periods of 8 to 9 seconds. The energy is moderate to strong (446 to 990), but the wind is fresh to strong offshore every day, keeping the faces clean. The problem is the surf quality is consistently rated as “poor” or “marginal.” It’s too big for beginners from Monday onward, and by the time you get to Wednesday and Thursday, the 8ft waves with that short period are just messy and hard to manage. Nothing to write home about.

The second week doesn’t get much better until the very end. From Monday, 10 August through Friday, 14 August, we’re stuck in the same rut: 5ft to 8ft NNW swell, short periods, and fresh offshore winds. The energy stays moderate to strong, but the surf is still just marginal. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Now, the standout – finally – comes on Friday afternoon, 14 August. The swell is 8ft from the NNW, period 7 seconds, with a moderate offshore breeze from the north at 16 mph. The energy is strong (892), and the surf is described as “expect good surf conditions.” That’s the first real highlight. This is for advanced surfers only, given the size. The following Saturday and Sunday, 15 and 16 August, also show “expect good surf conditions,” with swell around 8ft to 8ft from the NNW, and moderate offshore winds. The energy stays strong (755 to 783), and Sunday morning drops to 5ft, making it a bit more accessible for stronger intermediates.

Port Orford is an inconsistent, advanced-only spot that’s often crowded, and it’s sheltered from the NW swell direction. The optimum swell direction is NW, so the NNW we’re getting is a little off, but it’s still working. The long period swell (15 seconds) that shows up briefly on Wednesday afternoon, 12 August, is a dud, with only 2ft waves – that’s a no-go.

So, the best on offer is that run from Friday afternoon, 14 August through to Sunday, 16 August. That’s your window. The rest of the 16 days? Not worth the paddle.

Rusty.

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