Donkin Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s on the cards for Donkin Bay over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, the next week and a half is looking pretty grim. We’ve got a bit of swell, but the wind and conditions are just stuffing it up for the most part. It’s a real shame because there’s some strong energy in the water at times, but it’s not coming together for a decent paddle. The water at Donkin Bay is sitting at 54°F – that’s a whopping 6°F colder than usual for this time of year, which is very unusual. You’ll want a good, thick wetsuit.

Let’s start with this Wednesday morning (2nd September). There’s a solid 8ft SW groundswell (period 14 seconds) moving in, with the combined energy hitting a beefy 2161 (moderate to strong wave energy). But the wind is crossing from the SSW at 9 mph, putting a slight chop on it, and the tide or conditions are just marginal. It’s a bit of a tease. By Wednesday afternoon, the wind is up to 16 mph and the swell drops a touch. Not the one.

Thursday (3rd September) is a write-off with onshore winds and rain showers messing up a 6ft WSW swell. Friday (4th) goes clean, but we’re dropping down to a small 3ft swell with a short 10-second period and a 22 mph SSE wind – it’s a cross-offshore but it’s too breezy for good shape.

We limp through the weekend (5th-6th) with tiny waves and onshore winds. Saturday morning sees a clean 3ft SSW swell, but it’s short period and hard to paddle into with a 19 mph offshore. Sunday (6th) we see a very long period 18-second groundswell, but it’s 4ft and the wind is onshore from the NW. That long period will make it break too straight at a beach break anyway, so no dice.

Monday (7th) and Tuesday (8th) are still poor, but Tuesday morning is a tiny bright spot. The wind goes glassy at 3 mph from the WSW, and there’s a 4ft SW groundswell. The combined energy is only 358 (weak to moderate), so it’s small, but glassy conditions at a reef and point setup might give you a few clean little runners. It’s a “surfable but ordinary” kind of deal.

Honestly, from now until the middle of next week, it’s a 10-day gap with nothing worth the effort.

Now, if you’ve got patience, we’re looking at some real promise for the 17th of September (Thursday). We’ve got a big 10ft SW swell rolling in with a 14-second period. The combined energy is massive: 3550 on the Thursday morning (strong wave energy). The wind is cross-shore from the SSW at 12 mph, which is okay, but this is a lot of water. At 10ft, this is only for the experts. It’s predicted to be too big for Donkin Bay itself, so I’d be looking for a more protected corner if you’re not a charger. For those who are, that’s the best energy on the whole forecast.

If that’s too big, the 16th of September (Wednesday) afternoon has a pulse of 5ft WSW swell with a very long 19-second period. The energy is 2369 (moderate to strong). It’s small enough for intermediates, but that 19-second period means it needs a good point or reef to line up. Donkin Bay is a reef and point, so it could work, but the wind is crossing, so it won’t be perfect.

So, the standout is the 17th of September for the big swell energy, but only for the brave. The Tuesday morning (8th) glassy session is your only real chance for a clean, small wave paddle in the near-term. Everything else is a skunk.

Rusty.

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