West Dale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this 16-day window for West Dale is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of onshore winds and messy conditions, with only one real standout window that’s worth getting excited about.

The overall pattern is grim for the first week and a half. From now through to the 9th of September, it’s a constant battle with cross-onshore and onshore winds from the SW, W, and even some strong breezes. The swell is a mix of short-period, wind-affected SW and WSW energy, with wave heights bouncing between 3 ft and 8 ft. The combined energy is moderate to strong (values between 64 and 731), but it’s all wasted because the wind is ruining the surface. You’ll see a lot of “poor surf conditions” and “fresh cross-onshore and lumpy” in the data. The water temp is a touch warmer than normal at 64°F, but that’s small comfort when you’re getting blown off the water.

There’s a gap of several days where the surf is just not worth paddling out for. The morning of the 6th of September shows a bit of a pulse with 6 ft WSW swell, but it’s onshore again. It’s a frustrating run.

Then, finally, a glimmer of hope. On Monday, September 7th in the morning, the stars briefly align. The wind swings to a light N breeze at 6 mph, which is a cross-offshore wind – that’s clean. The swell is 5 ft from the WSW with a long period of 11 seconds, which is proper groundswell with good energy (combined energy of 488). This is the best on offer. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions,” and that’s the truth. It’s a fairly consistent break, but don’t expect a crowd-free paradise – the guidance says crowds are *sometimes* an issue. This is the one to chase.

The next morning, Tuesday the 8th, still has clean cross-offshore winds, but the swell has dropped to 3 ft, and the energy is weak (141). It’s surfable, but ordinary.

After that, things fall apart again. The 10th of September sees a massive pulse of 12 ft SW swell with a combined energy of 1599 – that’s very strong. But the notes say it’s “too big for this break.” That’s expert-only territory, and with moderate cross-offshore winds, it’s a wild card. The 11th and 12th fall back into the cross-onshore mess.

So, to sum it up: the only true standout is the morning of Monday, September 7th at West Dale. The 5 ft WSW groundswell with a light cross-offshore breeze will be clean. The rest of the 16 days is largely a write-off, though the overly large swell on the 10th might be something for the extremists to peek at. Don’t hold your breath for anything else.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the forecasts.

Rusty.

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