Cabarete Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Cabarete has got cooking for us over the next couple of weeks. I'll be straight with you – this is not a good run for paddle surfing. The whole 16-day window is pretty much a write-off due to persistent onshore wind. There are no standout days, no hidden gems. The wind just has the upper hand.

Kicking off Monday, July 27th, we’ve got a bit of east swell running at about 3ft to 4ft in the morning and afternoon, but the wind is coming from the east at 12-19 mph, which is a cross-onshore. This is a classic recipe for choppy, blown-out surf. The wave energy is moderate here (118 to 172). The water is a warm 83°F with an anomaly of just +0.4°F, so about what you’d expect for this time of year.

Tuesday the 28th through Wednesday the 29th is more of the same story. Swell hangs in the 3ft to 4ft range, but that easterly wind stays on you, keeping everything lumpy. The combined energy is weak to moderate (100-186). It’s just poor surf conditions day after day.

Thursday the 30th sees the swell bump up a touch, hitting 5ft in the morning and 6ft in the afternoon. The energy jumps into the moderate bracket (227 to 381), which is promising, but the wind is still howling out of the east at 16-22 mph. That’s still a cross-onshore, so it’s going to be messy. At 6ft with those conditions, it’s not going to be a fun paddle.

From Friday, July 31st all the way through to Tuesday, August 11th, the pattern is locked in. Swell hangs between 2ft and 5ft, but the cross-onshore winds from the east and east-northeast never let up, blowing at 12 to 22 mph. The wave energy is all over the place, from a weak 33 to a moderate 257, but it doesn't matter because the wind is just shredding it. Every single morning and afternoon is marked as “poor surf conditions.”

Given that Cabarete (Dominican Republic) is an exposed reef break, with consistent swell but a directional optimum from the northeast, we’re getting the wrong wind direction for clean waves. With that steady easterly cross-onshore, the setup honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The water's warm, the wind is consistent, but for a surfer looking for a wall to carve, there’s nothing doing.

This is a tough stretch, folks. When the forecast looks this blank for a spot that’s usually consistent, you just have to accept it. Forecasts can always change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, I’d leave the board at home.

Rusty.

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