Dondra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up at Dondra over the next couple of weeks.

First off, the water’s at 80°, which is just a bit cooler than the long-term average for this time of year—nothing wild, just worth noting.

Right now, it’s a slow start. The first half of this week is pretty average—swells around 3ft to 5ft from the S and SSE, with cross to cross-off winds from the W. It’s clean but the energy is weak (combined swell energy in the 700 to 1000 range), and the periods are 10 to 11 seconds. Honestly, it’s marginal—only worth a look if you’re keen and the tide plays nice.

Thursday the 15th and Friday the 16th of August stay similar: 3ft to 4ft swells, still clean but nothing to get excited about. Saturday the 17th sees a shift. The early morning is small at 2ft from SSW, but that afternoon brings a jump—4ft from the SSW with a serious 21-second period. That’s proper groundswell, and the energy climbs to 1291—moderate now, not weak. This is where it gets interesting.

But the standout is Tuesday the 18th of August. Morning and afternoon both pump 8ft from the SSW with a 19-second period. The energy is massive—4378 in the morning, 4099 in the arvo—strong to very strong wave energy. Winds are cross-off from the W, keeping it clean. Now, 8ft is over the 5ft mark, so this is not for beginners—this is for experienced surfers only. And with that long period (over 15 seconds), the waves will have serious punch and shape, though at a beach break they can be a bit straight. Dondra is a reef, so that’s actually a good thing—those long-period swells love a reef. The direction is SSW, which matches the optimum SW swell direction nicely. Crowds can be a factor here sometimes, so don’t expect an empty lineup.

Wednesday the 19th of August keeps the goods rolling: 7ft to 6ft from the SSW, periods still long at 16 to 17 seconds, energy strong (3357 to 3453), and clean offshore winds. Still expert territory.

Things ease a bit from Thursday the 20th. Swell drops to 8ft in the morning but goes a bit cross-shore with chop—still big but messier. The 21st and 22nd stay at 5ft to 7ft from the SSW and S, clean enough, but the energy is fading through the moderate range.

The second week—from the 23rd of August onward—sees the swell drop to 3ft to 5ft from the S and SSW, with periods still decent around 12 to 14 seconds. Winds stay cross-off and clean, but the energy is back below 1000 most days. There’s a little blip on the 25th (Tuesday) afternoon with a 3ft but a 17-second period—could give a few fun, clean rides for the patient surfer.

Bottom line: the clear standout is the 18th and 19th of August. Tuesday the 18th is the pick of the bunch: big, powerful, clean, and that SSW direction is exactly what Dondra wants. If you’re an experienced surfer, those are the days to circle on the calendar.

Rusty.

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