Dondra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming down the pipe for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I've got to be straight with you. The outlook for Dondra starts with some serious grunt in the water but it's not really giving us the clean, rippable conditions we'd hope for. We’ve got a long-period SSW groundswell pumping in – a solid 17 second period – and combined wave energy is strong (3378). That's a lot of juice. But the wind is a moderate cross-off at 16 mph. It's not awful, but it's not glassy perfection either. For a reef break, it's rideable, but it’s not a standout. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

Wednesday morning (19th August) kicks it off with 7 ft SSW swell. That's a powerful wave, but at that size and with the wind, it's going to be a handful. Things stay pretty similar through the week: consistent 5 ft to 8 ft SSW swell, always with that same moderate cross-off breeze. It's surfable, sure, but every single session is tagged as 'marginal' which tells me the tide or the shape is just a bit off. The energy drops a bit over the weekend, down to moderate levels (around 1200-1700), but the pattern doesn't change.

We hit a bit of a lull in energy and quality around the 24th and 25th. The swell drops to 3 ft to 5 ft, the period is still long, but the combined energy falls into the lower range. Plus, on the 24th morning, we get a cross-shore wind and a chop, which is no good for a reef. The 26th is better with clean surf, but the size is down.

Now, if you're looking for the one true standout of this forecast, you have to look ahead to the end of the month and the start of September. The 31st of August is where it starts to get interesting. Monday morning is clean with a 4 ft, 20-second SSW swell – that's very long period groundswell, which is going to wrap beautifully into Dondra. The energy jumps right back up (2533). Monday afternoon gets even better: 7 ft at 19 seconds, with a fresh breeze of 19 mph, but still cross-off and clean. The wave energy is strong again (3626). Then Tuesday, the 1st of September, is probably your best bet. Morning is 8 ft at 16 seconds, clean, with moderate cross-off wind. That is a powerful, solid swell. It's pushing into the "experts only" territory at that size, but for those who can handle it, it will be firing. The afternoon holds at 8 ft with the same clean conditions. The energy is strong to very strong across both days.

So, overall, it’s a slow burn. The first week is consistent but mediocre. The real prize is that last Monday into Tuesday, the 31st of August and 1st of September. That's the window to circle on your calendar. The later options on the 2nd and 3rd drop back down in energy and quality, so don't sleep on that window.

Remember, Dondra is an inconsistent reef, so when it does turn on like that, you want to be on it. It gets crowded sometimes, so get out there early.

Keep an eye on the sky, and I'll see you in the water.

Rusty.

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