Cabarete Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next 16 days around Cabarete are a real bust for paddling into waves. The whole stretch from now through the end of July is a consistent run of poor surf conditions, with no single day offering a decent recommendation. The swell is weak and messy, the wind is a constant cross-onshore breeze that’s chopping everything up, and the water temp is about average for this time of year. If you’re hoping for a clean session, you’re going to be waiting a long time.

From Wednesday the 15th through to Thursday the 30th of July, it’s the same story, day in and day out. The wave energy is mostly weak, with combined energy values sitting in the low to mid two-digit range (like 90, 95, 88, 65) and occasionally climbing into the low three-digit zone (133, 135, 150, 216). Even when that energy number bumps up, the quality is still garbage because the swell is short-period (5 to 8 seconds) and coming from the east, while the wind is hammering from the same direction at 12 to 22 mph. That means cross-onshore chop and lumpy, ugly surf. The wave heights hover around 3 ft to 5 ft, but with the wind state described as “moderate cross-onshore and choppy” or “fresh cross-onshore and lumpy” for every single entry, there’s no hiding from the mess.

Cabarete is a consistent reef break that’s normally exposed to the NE swell, but the optimum swell direction is from the NE, and the swell we’re getting is all from the E or ENE. That mismatch, combined with the constant wind, kills any chance of it cleaning up. The crowds are listed as “sometimes,” but honestly, with conditions this poor, you’d have the place to yourself anyway. If you’re into kite surfing, this setup might look interesting with that steady easterly wind, but for paddle surfing, it’s a hard pass.

There’s a big gap of zero surf recommendations here – a full 16 days with nothing worth paddling out for. It’s a blank run, pure and simple. The forecast isn’t offering any hope of a turnaround, but in this area, it’s not unusual to see long stretches like this when the trade winds lock in. Stick to the sand, or wait for a window when the wind shifts and the period stretches out. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d say save your energy.

Rusty.

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