Dondra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin'.

Alright, straight up—this is a tough one. Dondra is our only spot on the menu, and for the first few days, it’s a real struggle. We’ve got a mix of poor surf conditions and marginal forecasts, with a moderate cross-shore wind that’s kicking up a chop. Not much to get excited about.

We’re looking at Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th, and honestly, it’s flat and messy. Swell is tiny, around 2ft to 3ft, and the wind is cross-shore, making it choppy. The water temp is a lovely 82°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so that’s a silver lining. But for surf? Not worth paddling out.

Things start to look a little more interesting from Saturday the 25th onwards. The swell picks up to 5ft from the SSE, but it’s still a bit junky with cross-shore winds. The energy is getting there, though—we’re seeing moderate wave energy around 795 (combined energy). The real story starts to shift on Sunday the 26th afternoon, when the wind turns cross-offshore from the W. That’s clean. The swell is 5ft from the SE, period around 11 seconds, and the energy is still moderate (763). It’s not pumping, but it’s surfable and clean.

Now, the standout window is shaping up from the end of July into early August. The best of the best looks like Sunday the 2nd of August and Monday the 3rd of August. Swell is sitting at 3ft to 4ft from the SSW, with a long period of 14 to 16 seconds. That’s some proper groundswell, and the wind is clean cross-off from the W. The energy is moderate to strong (around 1173 to 1461). Dondra is a reef break, so that long-period swell will wrap in nicely, giving you lined-up walls. It’s inconsistent, so you’ll have to wait for the sets, but when they come, they’ll be worth it.

The biggest size comes later, around Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th of August, with swell heights hitting 5ft from the SSW, period 16-17 seconds. That’s getting into intermediate territory, and with a clean cross-offshore wind, it’ll be hollow. The energy is strong (over 1600). This is for the more experienced crew.

A word of caution: Dondra is a sometimes crowded spot, so expect a few locals out. And it’s inconsistent, so be patient. Overall, don’t hold your breath for the first week, but the second week has some serious promise. The long-range stuff looks good, but we’re a week out, so keep an eye on the charts.

Rusty, signing off.

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