Dondra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer for Dondra over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, it’s a bit of a slow grind. The first few days are all about waves that are technically clean but come with a major caveat: the wind is stubbornly cross-off from the west, and the swell is coming from the wrong direction. Dondra is a reef setup that really wants swell from the SW, but we’re seeing a lot of SSW and W energy. This means the waves are likely to be a bit fat and frustrating, with a messy line-up. The water is a balmy 82° which is about average for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick suit.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t arrive until Monday, July 20th. The swell starts to build from the south, and the energy jumps up. On the Monday morning, we’re looking at 4ft of S swell with a long 18-second period. That’s proper groundswell, and the combined energy is a strong 1374. The wind is still cross-off, but for a reef break, that can actually work. This is a standout day, but it’s a day for experienced surfers. The swell pushes to 5ft in the afternoon with even more energy (1726), and the period stays long at 17 seconds. The sets will be proper, but it’s going to be a bit of a paddle. Crowds are sometimes a problem here, so expect company.

The other standout is Tuesday, July 21st. The morning shows 5ft of S swell with a 15-second period and a huge energy reading of 1593. This is proper, powerful surf. The wind stays cross-off. This is expert territory. The swell is over 5ft, and on a reef with that much energy, it’s not for the faint-hearted. The waves will be big, clean, and heavy. If you’re not confident in your abilities, sit this one out.

Beyond that, the swell hangs around in the 4ft to 5ft range through Wednesday morning, but the energy drops off and the swell direction starts to wobble. By Thursday the 23rd, the energy plummets and the conditions look poor. It’s a pretty short window of quality, really.

The bottom line: if you’re an expert, the 20th and 21st of July are your best bet. Sunday the 12th through to the 19th is a gap of mostly weak, wonky swell with poor energy. The early stuff is just not worth paddling out for. The forecast is a bit more reliable for the first week; the second week’s energy is there, but the direction needs to hold.

Rusty.

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