Donuts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I gotta be straight with you – we're looking at a tough stretch ahead. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a write-off for quality waves, so I'll break it down for you plain and simple.

We're looking at Donuts, a sheltered little reef break. Now, right off the bat, the water temp is 73°, which is a whopping 5° warmer than normal for this time of year – that's, that's pretty unusual, like a warm bath out there. But that's where the good news ends.

The first solid bit of action comes on the morning of Thursday, September 5th, but even then, it's not exactly something to write home about. We have a clean 3ft SW swell rolling in with a 16-second period. That long period is a bit of a double-edged sword at a reef; it means the waves will have some push, but they might also want to stand up and close out. The wind is a light offshore breeze out of the NW, which is about as good as it gets for making things look clean. For a sheltered spot, that's a major positive, so the surfaces should be glassy.

But look, the combined energy is a moderate 818, and it just doesn't look like it's going to come together. Saturday afternoon sees the energy peak at 982, but the wind switches to a cross-onshore breeze, chopping things up.

The biggest swell we see hits on Sunday, September 7th, with 6ft from the SSW. That's getting into the zone where it's too much for beginners, and with a shorter 14-second period and a persistent cross-onshore wind, it's going to be a messy, blown-out affair. The combined energy shoots up to 1448, showing there's plenty of power, but it's all for nothing with that wind. Not for paddling – this is looking more like a day for the kite surfers to have a go.

The following week drops right off. We get some tiny 1ft to 3ft SW groundswells, but they're all plagued by cross-onshore winds and low energy readings, often dipping below 300. Monday, September 15th sees a pulse of 3ft SW at 16 seconds with the energy at 504, but with a steady 9 mph cross-onshore breeze, the surface will be rubbish. There's a long stretch from about the 13th through to the 18th where the only real recommendation is that it's a blank run.

Honestly, there are no standouts here. The pattern just doesn't look good. We've got the swell, but we've got the wrong wind direction for it every time. It's one of those periods where the forecasts could change, but as it sits right now, my advice is to save your energy.

Rusty.

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