Dongara-Port Denison Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I've got the dope on Dongara-Port Denison. We've got a solid run of surf coming through, but you've got to pick your moments. The pattern is a classic winter swell train from the south-west, but the wind is the real character in this story.

We kick off Wednesday the 22nd with a clean 6 ft SW groundswell coming in from the south-west, with a period of 13 seconds. The easterly offshore breeze is blowing at 12 mph, so the reef at Dongara-Port Denison is looking pretty clean. The combined energy is solid at 961 (moderate), and it's a nice opener. The water temp is about average for this time of year. Thursday the 23rd is the real standout. The morning brings a 7 ft SW groundswell with a 14-second period, and a fresh 19 mph easterly offshore. That's a bit of juice, but it's the afternoon that's the pick: 6 ft of clean SW swell, with a gentle 9 mph offshore from the ESE, and the energy jumps to 1402 (moderate to strong). This is the best session on offer – clean, powerful, and all yours, though crowds are possible at a spot that's fairly consistent. For the more experienced crew, that morning 7 ft with the fresh offshore is also a cracker.

Friday the 24th drops off a touch to 4 ft in the morning with a cross-off breeze, but the afternoon cleans up with a 4 ft SW swell and a gentle offshore. It's still a fun wave. Saturday the 25th is smaller, around 4 ft, and the wind swings around, so it's a bit of a write-off. Sunday the 26th gets messy with a cross-shore wind and a bit of rain. The afternoon shows a 6 ft SW groundswell with a long 16-second period, but the cross-shore wind at 12 mph puts a chop on it. The energy is 1708 (strong), but it's not clean.

Now, Monday the 27th is back on. The morning delivers a solid 7 ft SW groundswell with a 13-second period and a clean 12 mph ESE offshore. The energy is 1693 (strong), and it's punching. This is for the experienced crew – it's a big, powerful reef wave. The afternoon stays good with a 6 ft swell and gentle offshore. Tuesday the 28th has a 7 ft SW swell in the morning, but the wind is cross-off, so it's still workable. The afternoon is the gem: 6 ft with a glassy 3 mph ESE breeze and a 14-second period, energy at 1722 (strong). That's a beautiful, clean session.

We hit a bit of a lull from Wednesday the 29th through to Thursday the 31st. The swell hangs around, but a north-westerly wind brings in the chop and cross-onshore conditions, making it a mess. The 19-second period on the 29th is a long one, but it's wasted on the wrong wind. Friday the 1st of August and the weekend are a write-off. A massive 12 ft to 16 ft SW swell rolls in, but with onshore gales of 22 to 34 mph, it's a complete mess. The energy is scary high, hitting 5299 and even 19622 (very strong), but it's a washing machine. Kite surfers might be loving it, but for a paddle surfer, it's a hard no.

The surf starts to settle down a bit from Tuesday the 5th of August. A 5 ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period and a light 6 mph offshore from the ENE on Wednesday morning. That's a beautiful, clean, long-period swell. The energy is 1829 (strong), and it's a great option for experienced surfers. Then, Thursday the 6th of August morning is the absolute pick of the second week. A 10 ft WSW groundswell, 13-second period, and a glassy 6 mph ESE offshore. The combined energy is 3499 (strong to very strong), and it's clean. This is a big, powerful, clean reef wave for the experts only. The long-range promise is there, but it's a bit further out, so keep an eye on it.

This is a spot that's fairly consistent, so a blank run is unlikely. The first week has the best windows, so get out there when the wind is your friend.

Rusty.

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