Cabarete Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I’ve got to be straight with you – this run looks like a real struggle. The whole 16-day window is just one long stretch of what we’d call “poor surf conditions.” There’s no standout day, no hidden gem, nothing that screams “get in the water.” The wind is almost always cross-onshore from the east, which is just junk for the wave face. The swell is weak and short-period, mostly around 6 to 8 seconds, so it’s breaking all mushy and disorganised. The combined swell energy is moderate at best, hitting a few hundred (206 to 307) on the biggest days, but it’s just not connecting with the wind.

The only break in the report is Cabarete, a reef set-up that’s exposed to the swell. The optimum swell direction here is from the NE, but we’re getting swell from the E and ENE, which is close but not ideal. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Because the wind is consistently cross-onshore and often a fresh breeze (15 to 22 mph), the sea is going to be lumpy and choppy. The wave heights hover around 4 ft to 5 ft, but with that short period, the power is just not there. For a few days around the 12th and 13th of August, we do see the swell kick up to 5 ft and the period stretches to 8 seconds, but the wind stays cross-on, so it’s still messy. That’s really the only “bigger” pulse, but it’s not clean enough to get excited about.

Given the constant onshore wind and the beach-reef setup, this honestly looks more like a kiteboarder’s window than a paddler’s paradise. There’s nothing here that’s worth chasing for a surf. If you’re desperate, you might find a grovelly little wave on the glassiest morning, but there isn’t one in the forecast. It’s a long gap of flat to poor conditions, and that’s just how it goes sometimes.

Keep an eye on the forecasts, but for now, I’d save the wax.

Rusty.

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