Cabarete Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s be honest with you. I’ve stared at the charts for the next couple of weeks and, for Cabarete, it’s a bit of a grim stretch for anyone wanting a clean, proper surf. The wind is the main problem – it’s stuck in that east/northeast slot, which is cross-onshore here, and it’s not letting up. We’ve got waves, sure, but they’re going to be lumpy, choppy, and just generally messy. Every single call in the 16-day window is marked as poor surf conditions, so I’m not going to sugarcoat it.

The first week is pretty much a write-off. From Friday the 7th through to the 13th, we’re looking at waist-high stuff, mostly around 3ft to 4ft, with short-period wind swell (6-8 seconds). The energy is weak to moderate at best – we’re talking combined energy values of 79 to 185. With a 15-19 mph cross-onshore breeze, it’s just going to be a mess. Paddling out is a chore and the waves will be breaking all over the place. It’s not surfable in any meaningful way, not for a good wave anyway.

The second week kicks off with a bit more size, but the same ugly wind. On the 14th, we see a bump to 5ft in the morning, pushing to 6ft by the afternoon, with the energy picking up to 265 and 356. The period stretches slightly to 8 seconds, but it’s still short-period stuff. The 15th looks like the biggest of the run, with 7ft in the morning (combined energy 680), but that’s a lot of water being pushed around by a 16 mph onshore wind. It’s going to be a closed-out, bumpy mess. That’s too big for beginners and just sloppy for everyone else. This is more of a kite-surfing day than a surfing day, honestly.

The swell trains continue through the 17th and 18th, with the 18th offering the most promise, size-wise. We’re looking at 6ft with a period jumping to 10 seconds, and the energy is strong, around 705. That longer period is a hint of some better groundswell, but it’s still arriving into that same cross-onshore wind. It’s a shame because that’s the best quality swell of the window, but it’s going to be ruined on arrival. The break is consistent, which is a small blessing, but the conditions will do their best to spoil it.

After that, the energy fades. The 19th and 20th drop back to 4ft and then 3ft, with the period shortening again. The very end of the run, the 21st and 22nd, sees it all fizzle out to knee-waist high junk with periods of just 6 seconds and energy values down in the 50s and 60s. It’s not even worth looking at.

So, what’s the call? There are no standouts. There’s no day where you’d look at the forecast and get excited. The best of a bad bunch is probably the morning of Monday the 18th, when we have 6ft of 10-second swell and a slightly lighter 12 mph wind. But even then, it’s cross-onshore and lumpy. It’s a frustrating outlook. The water is running at 84°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a hood.

I’ll be honest, this is a blank run. The consistency is there, but the quality is absent. Sometimes it goes like this for a stretch, but the breaks here are fairly consistent, so it tends not to stay this poor for long. Forecasts can change, and I’ll be keeping an eye on that wind. But as it stands, you’re better off finding a different hobby for a fortnight.

Rusty.

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