Dondra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s cooking at Dondra.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 83°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year – no surprises there.

The word from the finder is there’s nothing in the 16-day window that’s a standout. Not a single period is getting a good score. The whole run is plagued by marginal conditions, with cross-off winds blowing hard from the west and west-northwest, and the swell is mostly coming from the south or southwest. The energy is big, but it’s not coming together for a quality surf.

The first chance to get wet is Friday morning, July 31st. Dondra is a reef break, and it’s inconsistent, so you’ve got to be patient. The swell is 3ft from the SSW with a very long 16-second period, and the combined energy is a solid 1026 – that’s a lot of grunt for a small wave. The problem is the wind is howling 16 mph from the west, cross-off, and the call is “risk tstorm.” It’s not a write-off, but it’s far from ideal.

By Saturday, August 1st, the swell jumps to 10ft from the west, but the period drops to 9 seconds – that’s a short-period, wind-driven mess. Wind is still 19 mph from the WNW, cross-off, and the energy hits 1978. That’s a lot of moving water, but it’s going to be lumpy, powerful, and pretty much a nightmare for anyone but a top-level charger. For beginners, this is way too big, and even for experts, it’s going to be a battle.

The pattern just keeps repeating: 12ft on Sunday, 8ft on Monday, all with fresh cross-off breezes and the same “risk tstorm” or “mod rain” forecast. The swell direction swings back to the SSW on Tuesday, with periods jumping back to 15-16 seconds, but the wind never lets up. The last few days of the run, from August 13th to 15th, show a slight improvement in the weather with “some clouds,” but the wind is still a solid 16-19 mph from the west or WNW, and the swell is between 5ft and 7ft from the south.

The truth is, for the entire 16 days, there’s not a single window where the wind turns offshore, which is what Dondra needs. Given the size of the swell and the strong wind, this setup honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. It’s a rare stretch of poor consistency, and for this area, a blank run like this is more normal than you’d hope. I’d keep an eye on it, but I wouldn’t be rushing out.

Rusty.

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