West Dale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for West Dale.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough stretch. We're looking at a long, drawn-out period of flat to messy conditions. Nothing worth paddling out for in the near future, and it's going to be a grind. The first real chance of anything rideable doesn't show up until Wednesday, the 12th of August, and even then, it's a marginal call.

So, for the first week or so, it's a write-off. The wind is mostly cross-on or onshore, and the swell is small and weak. There's a bit of a pulse on Wednesday morning, the 5th, with a 5ft swell from the WSW, but the wind is a fresh 22 mph cross-on, making it a lumpy mess – not worth the hassle. The combined energy hits 268 (moderate) but it's all noise. The rest of that week is a series of tiny, choppy, or glassy-flat days. Friday morning, the 7th, is glassy but with a pathetic 1ft of swell – you'd be bobbing around, not surfing.

After the 12th, things get a little more interesting, but don't get your hopes up too high. On Wednesday afternoon, the 12th of August, the wind swings cross-offshore from the ESE, cleaning things right up. The swell is still small at 3ft from the WSW, and the period is a decent 10 seconds. The combined energy is 139 (moderate). This is surfable, but it's ordinary. You'll be scratching for waves, but at least you won't be getting blown off your board.

Then, on Thursday morning, the 13th of August, we get a slight bump in size – 5ft from the WSW with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 250 (moderate). The wind is light and cross-on from the WNW, which isn't ideal, but it's light enough that it might be okay. The report calls it "marginal," and I'd agree. It's the best-looking window in the whole two weeks, so if you're desperate, that's your shot. The break is exposed to the SW, and the optimum swell direction is SW, so the angle is right.

The rest of the second week is a repeat of the first: wind and small, bumpy swell. For a break that's "fairly consistent," this is a pretty barren run. The water temp is around 62°F for the first part of the 16 days, which is about normal for this time of year, so at least you won't freeze.

If you're a kite surfer, the strong cross-on winds and the occasional bump in swell might look more appealing than a paddle session. For the rest of us, it's a long wait for a very average opportunity.

Rusty.

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