Dondra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for the Dondra region over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough outlook. The whole 16-day window is tagged as marginal, and the scores reflect that. There’s no perfect day to circle on the calendar. The swell is rolling in, but it’s fighting against a persistent cross-off wind that’s not doing us any favours. The wind is pretty much a constant moderate to fresh breeze from the west, so it’s not going to be glassy. We’ve got a mix of long-period groundswell and shorter-period windswell, but the wind is making it difficult to get that clean, lined-up wave we all want.

Let’s start where we have to. For Friday, July 31st, we’re looking at a small start. The swell is around 3 ft from the SSW with a very long 16-second period. The combined energy is moderate (1026). The water temp is about average for this time of year. It’s surfable, but with that 15 mph wind, it’s only going to be okay for the intermediate crew.

Moving into the weekend, Saturday, August 1st, the morning offers a bit more size at 4 ft from the SSW, still with a solid 16-second period. The energy jumps up (1661). But the wind picks up to 22 mph. By the afternoon, the swell jumps to 10 ft from the west, but the period drops to 9 seconds. That’s a lot of weak, bumpy water. The combined energy (2343) is strong, but the quality is poor. This is the kind of day where the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. That same pattern holds through Sunday, August 2nd, with 10 ft to 12 ft of windswell (2729), but it’s just messy.

The best chance for a decent wave comes mid-week, but it’s still not a standout. On Monday, August 3rd, the swell drops to 8 ft in the morning, still from the west, still short-period (9 seconds). The wind is a bit lighter at 15 mph. It’s the best of a bad lot, but that’s not saying much. The size is getting up there – over 8 ft, so this is really only for experts. The rest of the week is a similar story: 3 ft to 7 ft of south or SSW swell, with long periods (15-19 seconds), but the wind never lets up. Long-period groundswell like this would be a dream at a point break or reef, but at Dondra (a reef break), the cross-off chop is going to mess with the shape.

Looking further out, the second week is more of the same, just a bit smaller. From Thursday, August 6th, through to Saturday, August 15th, we’re looking at 3 ft to 7 ft of swell, again mostly from the south and SSW, with long periods. The energy ranges from moderate (790) to strong (2630). The wind is relentless. For a spot that’s “inconsistent” and already a tough call, this period is a write-off for a classic session. There’s a slight uptick in energy on Thursday, August 13th, with a 20-second period swell (2245), but again, the wind will be there.

So, what’s the call? If you’re an expert and you’re desperate, aim for Monday, August 3rd, when the swell is biggest and the wind is a touch lighter. But don’t expect perfection. For everyone else, it’s probably a week to check the forecast again. It tends not to stay this poor for long. The waves are there, but the conditions are fighting them every step of the way.

Rusty out.

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