Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Port Orford over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: this isn’t a classic run. The swell is hanging around, but the quality is a bit ordinary for most of it. The water temp is sitting about average for the time of year, so don’t expect any surprises when you hit the water at Port Orford.

The first real look we get is Saturday the 18th. There’s some small swell pushing in, around 3ft from the WNW, but it’s a very long-period groundswell (16 seconds). That kind of period can make a beach break a bit tricky – it can break too straight – but with a clean offshore wind, it’ll be rideable. The combined energy is moderate (724). It’s not a standout, but it’s a start.

Sunday the 19th sees a jump in size – 8ft to 8ft from the NNW – but the period drops to a short 7 seconds. That’s windswell territory, choppy and gutless. The wind is still offshore, but it’s a fresh breeze, so it’ll be a battle. This is getting into the size range where beginners should sit it out, and the short period won’t do it any favours.

Monday the 20th is the best bet in the first week. The swell settles to a cleaner 6ft from the NNW with a slightly better period of 8 seconds, and the wind goes light offshore or cross-offshore. The combined energy is moderate (555). It’s still not a world-class day, but with a gentle offshore breeze, it’ll be the cleanest we’ve seen. The crowds are “often” here, so expect some company.

From Tuesday the 21st through to Friday the 24th, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The swell drops back to chest-high (4ft) with light winds, but it’s just ordinary. Thursday the 23rd afternoon turns glassy with a 6ft NW swell, but again, nothing to write home about. Friday the 24th morning brings a solid 7ft from the NNW with a moderate offshore, but it’s pushing expert territory in size.

Now, the real talking point is the weekend of the 25th and 26th of July. We get a 3ft swell from the SW, but the period is a very long 21 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy is strong (1261), but that long period at a beach break can be a bit straight and hard to predict. The wind is a moderate to fresh offshore, making it clean. For a point break or reef, this would be gold, but at Port Orford, it’s a bit of a wildcard. It’s the most interesting energy in the whole forecast, but it’s a bit of a tease.

After that, it gets messy. Sunday the 26th afternoon goes flat, and from Monday the 27th to Wednesday the 30th, we see a mix of poor surf and strong offshore winds. The swell comes back up to 8ft from the NNW on the 30th, but the period is short (7 seconds) and the wind is howling. This is where the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The waves are going to be bumpy and hard to paddle into.

The last few days of the month and into August are a write-off. The swell is either too big with short periods, or too small. Don’t bother.

So, the standout? There isn’t a true classic day here. If I had to pick, I’d point you to Monday the 20th for the cleanest conditions relative to the size, or Saturday the 25th for the raw energy, even if it’s a bit weird. The rest is just filler.

Rusty.

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