Donkin Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the next couple of weeks are serving up for us at Donkin Bay.

Donkin Bay is our only option on the table for this stretch. The water’s sitting at 56°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – about 3° cooler, so you’ll want that extra layer.

The week kicks off with small, clean but weak surf. Saturday afternoon (July 4th) has waves at 3ft from the SW with a light southerly cross-off breeze, but it’s nothing to write home about. Sunday morning (July 5th) is similar: 2ft from the SW but with a long 14-second period. That long period groundswell means better shaped waves, but it’s small, and at a reef and point setup like Donkin Bay, it should still line up nicely. The combined energy is weak at 305 and 396, so don’t expect much push.

The real standout arrives Monday morning, July 6th. We’ve got a clean 7ft SW groundswell, an 11-second period, and glassy conditions – that’s a dead-calm, easterly breeze of 3 mph. This is going to be clean, lined-up surf with moderate energy (1014). This one’s for the experienced crew; it’s too big for beginners, but if you’ve got the skill, it’s the best session of the first week right there.

Tuesday morning (July 7th) holds a solid 5ft SW swell (12 seconds) with a light cross-off, giving us very good surf. That good energy continues into Wednesday morning (July 8th) with a powerful 6ft SW groundswell and a 13-second period – combined energy is a strong 1524. Thursday morning (July 9th) stays clean with a 6ft SW swell (14 seconds) and a light offshore from the ESE – excellent for experienced surfers again.

We do hit a bit of a lull from Saturday afternoon (July 11th) through Sunday (July 12th) – onshore winds and dropping swell make for poor conditions. Monday and Tuesday (July 13-14th) are tiny and ordinary, with waves barely reaching 2-2ft.

Now, the second week has a real gem. Friday morning, July 17th, brings a chunky 8ft WSW groundswell with a 13-second period and a gentle cross-off breeze – that’s massive combined energy at 2623. In the afternoon it goes glassy with the same 8ft, and that’s pure, powerful, expert-only territory. That is the absolute highlight of the whole 16-day window, though it’s a week and a half away, so take it with a pinch of salt.

The following Saturday and Sunday (July 18-19th) fade back to smaller, wind-affected waves.

So, bottom line: if you’re an expert, your best bets are Monday morning, July 6th, and that big Friday, July 17th. For the rest of us, the first week mornings have some clean, smaller windows worth paddling out for.

Stay stoked, folks.

\- Rusty

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