West Dale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mates, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for West Dale over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you—it’s a pretty quiet stretch for the most part.

Right now, we’re looking at a long, dry spell. From Saturday the 18th right through to Friday the 25th of July, the surf is basically non-existent. I’m talking tiny little 0.3 ft waves with weak energy (combined energy between 5 and 17), and even though the wind is often cross-offshore or light, there’s just nothing to ride. The water temperature is sitting at 63°—a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a nice thought but not much help when there’s no swell.

The first real sign of life comes on Saturday the 25th of July. The swell starts to pick up a bit, but it’s still small and messy. A 3 ft to 3 ft swell from the west and west-southwest rolls in, but the period is short—only 5 to 6 seconds. The wind is onshore and strong, hitting 16 to 25 mph, so it’s going to be choppy and blown out. Energy is still low to moderate (42 to 74). Not a day for a paddle board—this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday the 26th of July brings a bit more size. The swell hits 5 ft from the west-southwest with a 7-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 219 (moderate). That’s the biggest swell of the whole forecast, but again, the wind is onshore from the west at 16 mph, so the quality is poor. It’s clean in the sense of no chop, but the onshore wind kills any chance of good shape. This is only for those who don’t mind a battle.

The rest of the week into early August stays small and ordinary. On Monday the 27th, the swell drops to 4 ft, energy back to 100, and winds still onshore. By Tuesday the 28th, there’s another pulse of 4 ft with 221 energy, but it’s a cross-onshore wind from the west-northwest at 22 mph, making it lumpy and messy. Wednesday the 29th is similar, with 4 ft to 5 ft swells but onshore winds and short periods.

The best chance of anything decent looks like Friday the 31st of July. The swell is 4 ft from the west, with a 6-second period, and energy at 115 (moderate). The wind swings offshore from the northeast at 12 mph, producing clean conditions. The guidance says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” but for this zone, that’s actually a standout. If you’re desperate for a paddle, that Friday morning is your window. It’s still not great—just the least bad option.

After that, we fade back into tiny, weak surf through the 1st and 2nd of August, with swells dropping to 1 ft to 2 ft and energy falling into the teens.

Honestly, this is a rough run for West Dale. The consistency is fairly consistent, but the quality just isn’t there. The best bet is that Friday morning, July 31st, with clean offshore winds, but it’s small and short-period. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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