Cabarete Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a bit of a flat spell on the cards for Cabarete, if you can believe it. The whole 16-day forecast is basically a write-off for proper surfing. The first recommendation doesn't come until Wednesday the 26th of August, and even then, it's a no-go. Let's be honest, we're looking at a solid 16 days of grovel or nothing at all.

Wednesday 26th August kicks it off with a tiny 2ft swell from the East, 6-second period, and the wind is cross-on from the ENE at 16 mph. The combined energy is a weak 58. It's a mess. The afternoon isn't any better, with a 4ft, 4-second windswell and a 19 mph cross-on breeze. Forget it.

The pattern holds all the way through the first week. Every day, morning and afternoon, it's the same story: cross-on wind, choppy conditions, and weak, short-period swell. The wind rarely drops below 12 mph, and most of the time it's a fresh 19 mph breeze. We see a few days where the swell bumps up a bit, like Monday 31st August morning with a 4ft, 8-second swell from the ENE (energy 209, moderate), but it's still cross-on and choppy. That afternoon, the swell jumps to 6ft, 10 seconds from the ENE (energy 540, strong), but it's still a cross-on mess with a risk of thunderstorms. That’s not surfable, it’s a washing machine.

Tuesday 1st September morning is the only moment that looks kinda interesting – the wind goes light from the NE at 6 mph and it's listed as "on" shore, with a 5ft, 10-second swell from the East. The energy is solid at 414. But the file still calls it "poor surf conditions". The wind is onshore, not offshore, so it will be messy. The afternoon is back to the usual cross-on chop.

The rest of the first week of September is more of the same: small, weak, and cross-on. By Tuesday 8th September we see a tiny 1ft swell from the NNE with a very long 13-second period, but the energy is a weak 108. The swell direction is finally from the NNE, which is nowhere near the optimum NE direction that Cabarete (a reef break) needs. The period is long, but the size is tiny.

The last few days, 9th and 10th September, show a bit of size from the NNE with periods around 11-12 seconds and moderate energy (343-393), but the wind is a constant cross-on from the ENE or East at 12-19 mph. It's not going to be clean.

The water temp is a balmy 84°F, which is about average for the time of year, so at least you’ll be warm while you’re getting frustrated.

Honestly, there is no standout. For the entire 16 days, the combination of small, weak swell and constant cross-shore wind makes this more of a kite-surfing window than a paddle-surfing one. The reef at Cabarete (Cabarete) needs a clean, offshore wind to shine, and we’re just not getting it. If you absolutely have to get wet, the Tuesday morning of the 1st of September is the least terrible option, but even that’s a stretch. Otherwise, keep your board in the car and wait for the next system.

Rusty.

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