Cabarete Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you—this outlook for the Cabarete area is a tough one. We're looking at a 16-day window, and honestly, there's not a single session that the models are calling good. The first recommendation is shot, so we're starting with a blank.

From Sunday the 12th of July right through to Monday the 27th of July, it's a long, frustrating stretch. The issue is a persistent cross-onshore wind from the East, blowing at 12 to 22 mph. That trades-off any chance of clean surf because it's chopping up the surface. The swell is there, but it's coming from the wrong direction for the reef, and the period is short—mostly between 5 and 8 seconds. That's windswell, not groundswell, so the waves are weak and disorganised. The combined energy rating is moderate throughout, bouncing between 100 and 200 (say 144), but with that wind, it's a mess.

The water temperature is sitting at 83°F, which is about average for this time of year, so that's not the issue.

The standout option here, if you're desperate, is Cabarete itself. It's a consistent reef break that loves an optimum swell from the NE. The problem is, we're getting constant East swell, which is off. Even when the swell height pushes to 5 ft, the wind is howling cross-onshore, making it choppy and lumpy. For a beginner, anything over 5 ft is too much, but here the 3 ft to 5 ft range is just blown out. For the experts, it's not worth paddling into a washing machine. The short period means the waves are fat and crumbly, not offering any real punch.

Given the relentless wind, this setup at Cabarete looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The wind is consistent, but for us wave-chasers, it's a write-off. The forecast can always change, but for now, this is a blank run. It's not unusual for the area to get these stretches of poor conditions, but it doesn't make it any easier.

Keep your eye on the sky, but honestly, don't bother waxing up for a while.

Rusty.

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