Cabarete Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this stretch is not looking great for paddle surfing. The whole 16-day window is pretty much one long groan. The only break in the game is Cabarete, and the conditions just don’t line up for a quality session. We’ll be waiting through a gap of no decent surf from the start, every single day.

Right out of the gate, from Sunday the 2nd of August onward, it’s a battle. We’ve got a persistent ENE to E wind blowing cross-onshore at 12 to 22 mph, and that’s the main problem. The swell is hanging around between 2 ft and 5 ft, mostly from the east with a short period around 5 to 8 seconds, so it’s weak and disorganized. The combined energy of all swells directed here is mostly in the two-digit range, like 62 or 80, sometimes pushing into three-digit territory like 168 or 229, but because that wind is so messy, it means poor surf conditions every time. The wave comment is always “poor surf conditions,” and the derived wave state is consistently “moderate cross-onshore and choppy” or “fresh cross-onshore and lumpy.” That’s not surf, that’s a washing machine.

Because the break is an exposed reef, it needs cleaner conditions. With that stiff cross-onshore breeze making everything choppy and lumpy, combined with short-period swell, it’s just not coming together at all. The water temp is about average for the time of year, no major anomaly to report for Cabarete. Crowds can be an issue here sometimes, but honestly, with this forecast, I’d be surprised if many people bother paddling out.

There is really no standout day to recommend. If you’re a kitesurfer, all that wind and bumpy water might look interesting, but for a surfer, this is a skip. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Stick a pin in this one. Forecasts can change, but for now, it’s a blank run.

Rusty.

Read more