West Dale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what's ahead for West Dale.

Look, I'm gonna level with you. This is a tough forecast to read. The next couple of weeks are mostly a write-off for decent paddle surfing. We've got a lot of wind and small, weak swell to work through. The water temp is sitting at 63°F, which is bang on average for this time of year, so at least you won't need the thickest wetsuit if you’re just getting a paddle in.

There’s really nothing to get excited about for the first week and a half. From Tuesday the 11th right through to the middle of the month, we’ve got tiny swell and poor conditions. The energy is almost non-existent, with combined energy figures barely reaching triple digits (176 at its best on Thursday 13th), but the winds are just never right. It’s cross-shore chop or onshore junk, so forget about a proper wave.

We hit a bit of a dry spell until the morning of Monday the 17th. That’s the first time we see a glimmer of hope. A little 3ft swell from the WSW with a gentle offshore breeze from the ENE. The combined energy is a paltry 70, so it’s weak, but at least it’s clean. The morning of Tuesday the 18th is similar, with 2ft and a light cross-off breeze, and again the energy is low at 59. It’s surfable, but you’d be scratching for a ride. This is the only period worth even looking at for a paddle, and it’s still pretty ordinary.

Then it all goes pear-shaped again with strong winds and messy conditions until the very end of the run.

Now, the standout, and I mean the *only* standout, is a bit of a wild card and it's a long way off. On Sunday, the 23rd of August, we get a pulse of proper size. The morning shows 8ft from the SW with a moderate breeze... but it’s onshore from the WSW. The combined energy jumps right up to 766, so there’s real power in the water. The afternoon gets bigger with 7ft but howling at 28 mph from the SSW. This is blown-out and messy.

But the real eye-opener is Monday, the 24th of August. The morning forecast shows a solid 12ft swell from the WSW with a combined energy of a massive 2060. That’s serious power. The afternoon holds at 10ft. But the wind is a near gale from the WNW and W. This is an expert-only, messy, blow-out session. For a beach break like West Dale, with onshore winds from that direction, this setup is going to be a washing machine. Honestly, that looks far more interesting for the kite crew than us paddle surfers. It’s too dangerous for anyone but the most seasoned charger.

The swell drops back down after that, with some 7ft and 6ft on Tuesday the 25th, but the winds are still strong and onshore. By Wednesday the 26th, we’re back to tiny, clean mush.

So, the bottom line: There's no real quality on the cards. The best of a bad bunch is Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th for a small, clean wave on a longboard. The big swell on the 24th is pure power and wind, one for the tow-in crew or the kite surfers only.

Keep the head up, forecasts change.

Rusty.

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