Dolphinarium Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mate. Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for this stretch of coast. To be real with you, it’s a tough read. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but honestly, it’s one of those runs where you’d be better off taking the dog for a walk or working on that pop-up in the backyard. Don’t get your hopes up too high.

The main option we have is Dolphinarium. It’s an exposed, fairly consistent beginner-friendly spot. The water here is sitting at 86°, which feels a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – you might not even need the spring suit.

Looking through the period, it’s a lot of nothing, honestly. We kick off on Sunday the 16th with a weak 3ft swell out of the WNW, period at a measly 8 seconds. Combined energy is just 136 (moderate), but it’s blown out by a cross-onshore NW wind at 12 mph. Poor conditions. Monday the 17th is the same story – smaller swell, poxy wind.

Tuesday morning the 18th is the closest we get to a highlight. The wind goes totally glassy, and there’s a 3ft swell. The wave comment even says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." It’s not a standout, but if you’re absolutely desperate, that Tuesday morning glass-off might give you a few knee-high dribblers. The period is short though (7 seconds), so it won't have much push. After that, it’s basically a desert. From the 19th through to the 26th, the swell drops to between 1ft and 3ft with periods as low as 5 seconds. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, creating chop. The combined energy figures drop to weak two-digit numbers (as low as 11), which tells you the ocean is basically asleep.

There’s a little blip on Thursday the 27th morning. We get 3ft at 8 seconds, glassy wind, and the energy climbs back to 91. The comment says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." Again, not a day to call in sick for, but it’s clean. Friday the 28th morning has a similar setup with a clean cross-off wind, but still just 3ft. The run then fades again into the very end of August with tiny swell. Monday the 31st morning gives us another glassy chance with 3ft and a bit more energy (98), but at 8 seconds and ordinary conditions, it’s not going to be a classic.

So, the honest truth? There’s no standout swell in this whole 16-day run. The best on offer is Tuesday the 18th morning, Thursday the 27th morning, or Monday the 31st morning, purely because they are glassy. But the wave heights are small, periods are short, and the quality is just “ordinary.” For a beginner, these tiny, clean days might be okay for a paddle, but there’s no punch here. If you’re an experienced surfer, you can leave the board in the car.

Given the persistent small, weak swell and the onshore trends, this setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer on most of these days.

Stay patient, boys. It’s a flat spell.

- Rusty

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