Cabarete Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’m looking at the surf outlook for Cabarete over the next 16 days, starting from the first day of August. Straight up – it’s a rough stretch for paddle surfing around here. The whole period is dominated by persistent cross-onshore winds from the east and east-northeast, and that’s going to keep things choppy, lumpy, and generally messy. The swell is consistently small to moderate, with heights mostly between 2.3ft and 4.9ft, and the period is short, hovering around 5 to 8 seconds. That’s mostly windswell – lacks the punch and shape you’d want for a good session. There’s a gap of no real surf on offer for almost the entire 16-day window, with the only flicker of something surfable coming right at the very tail end.

Right from the start, Saturday the 1st of August, it’s a no-go. Winds are 22 mph from the east, cross-on, making it lumpy, and the swell at 4.9ft with that 8-second period is just ugly. This pattern locks in. Sunday the 2nd to Tuesday the 4th: more of the same – cross-on winds 16 to 19 mph, 3.6ft to 4.6ft of short-period slop. The energy is weak to moderate – the combined swell energy sits between 113 and 280, which is barely moving. It’s poor.

Wednesday the 5th through to Friday the 7th, the swell drops a bit further, down to 2.6ft to 4.3ft, but the wind stays onshore, and the energy drops to as low as 56. The water temperature is 83.5°, which is about average for this time of year – not a standout, just warm and typical.

The only chance of anything half-decent appears on Friday the 14th of August, in the afternoon. The wind shifts to south-southeast and becomes a moderate cross-offshore breeze at 12 mph, which cleans things up a bit. The swell is still short-period at 7 seconds and 4.9ft from the east, but the combined energy bumps up to 243 – that’s moderate. The wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions,” so it’s not a sure thing. For Cabarete, a reef break that’s exposed to swell from the northeast, this east swell isn’t optimal, and the short period means it won’t wrap in cleanly. It’s a low-confidence option, but it’s the only window in the whole forecast that might be worth a paddle. Even then, don't expect greatness.

Beyond that, Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th see the swell nudge up – 4.6ft to 6.9ft by Sunday afternoon, with energy hitting 579, which is moderate to strong. But the wind stays cross-on from the east at 16 to 22 mph, trashing the surface. That kind of setup, with significant swell and poor quality, is more interesting for the kite crew than us paddle surfers.

Honestly, it’s a long, blank run here. The break is consistent, but the conditions are just not cooperating. Forecasts can change, but for now, leave the board at home.

Read more