Dondra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag on the cards. The first week or so is looking pretty average, nothing to get too excited about. The real standout, the one that’s got my attention, is that pulse of energy arriving right at the end of the forecast window. For now, we’re looking at a long run of marginal conditions, with a few days of weak, short-period slop in the middle that isn’t worth paddling for.

The first real surfable window kicks off on Sunday, July 19th. Dondra is a reef break, and it’s been inconsistent, so we’ll need a bit of luck. The swell is coming from the SSW at 3 ft with a 13-second period, and the combined energy is moderate (461). The wind is a cross-offshore breeze from the W at 12 mph, which should keep the surface clean. Water temp is a warm 82°, which is about 0.5° above normal, so pretty average for the time of year. It’s not a total loss, but the forecast calls it marginal, and I’m leaning that way.

Moving into Monday, July 20th, the swell builds to 4 ft from the S with a longer 18-second period, and the energy jumps up to 1481 (moderate). Cross-off wind again. The afternoon sees the swell push to 5.6 ft from the S with a 16-second period, and energy ramps up to 1904. This is a legitimate groundswell, but it’s still being called marginal. The wind stays clean, but the quality might be off.

Tuesday, July 21st holds around 5 ft from the S with a 15-second period, energy at 1222. The wind is clean and cross-off. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

From Wednesday, July 22nd through to Saturday, July 25th, things get a bit choppy. The swell drops back to 3 ft – 3.6 ft, and the wind turns more cross-shore. The energy drops into the low hundreds, with cross-chop showing up. The scores are bottoming out. This is a real dry spell, and honestly, this stretch is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday, July 26th shows a small improvement. Swell is 4.3 ft – 4.6 ft from the SE with an 11-second period, and the energy is up around 900 (moderate). The wind is cross-off again, keeping it clean. Still marginal, but a better call than the midweek slop.

Things get a bit more interesting starting Monday, July 27th through Thursday, July 30th. Swell is mostly 2.6 ft – 3.6 ft from the SSW, with periods stretching from 12 to 18 seconds. The energy is moderate, topping out at 1117 on the afternoon of the 30th. The wind is cross-off and clean. It’s still marginal, but the longer period suggests deeper, more powerful lines for Dondra’s reef. Crowds are possible here, as it’s sometimes busy.

Now, the real standout. Friday, July 31st, the swell starts to kick. We’re looking at 4.6 ft from the SSW with a 16-second period in the morning, energy at 1526. The afternoon holds 4.3 ft from the SSW with a 15-second period, and the energy jumps to 1747. Wind is a clean 16 mph cross-off. This is the best call of the first week.

Then, rolling into Saturday, August 1st, the energy really gets cooking. Swell is 3.6 ft from the SSW with an 18-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 2113. The afternoon swell jumps to 5.2 ft from the SSW with a 15-second period, energy at 1982. Clean cross-off wind. This is a solid, long-period groundswell aimed right at the optimum direction for Dondra. The reef will handle this well, and the long period will mean long, clean lines with less paddle battle between sets. This is your best bet.

Finally, Sunday, August 2nd and Monday, August 3rd bring the biggest swell of the whole run. We’re seeing 8.2 ft – 9.8 ft from the W with a short 9-second period. The energy is very strong (over 2000), but the period is short. At 9.8 ft, this is for experts only. The short period will make these waves fat and dumpy, and less likely to peel nicely on the reef. It’s a big, powerful, messy wall of water. The wind is cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but the quality is likely to be poor. This one is for the big wave chargers, not the casual surfer.

So, to sum it up: the best window is Saturday, August 1st at Dondra. The swell direction is spot on, the period is long, the energy is strong, and the wind is offshore. It’s a long way out, so take it with a pinch of salt, but that’s the one to circle on the calendar. The earlier days are rideable, but nothing compared to that late-July, early-Aug

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