Donuts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next couple of weeks. Honestly, for the first few days, it’s a bit of a write-off. We’ve got some swell, but the wind is all wrong, and the quality just isn’t there. The good news is that things start to look a little more promising as we head into the second week, especially around the end of the month and into early September.

Let’s start with the only spot on the menu, Donuts, a sheltered reef break that’s inconsistent and can get a few people out there sometimes. The water temperature is 71°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

Sunday, August 23rd kicks off with a tiny 2 ft SW groundswell, but that cross-on wind from the WNW is ruining it. The combined energy is weak at 328. It’s just choppy and poor. That trend holds through the first week. We see a little pulse of S swell on Wednesday and Thursday, August 26th and 27th, with heights around 4 ft to 4 ft and a period of 11-12 seconds, but the wind is cross-shore, keeping things messy. The energy picks up a bit, hitting 643 (moderate), but it’s still not worth paddling out for.

We then hit a dry spell from the end of August into the first days of September. It’s all marginal at best. The wind is mostly light and onshore, and the swell is small and weak. It’s a frustrating stretch.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. On Friday, September 4th, we start to see a real change. The swell holds steady around 4 ft to 4 ft from the SW, with a solid 16-second period. The combined energy jumps into the strong range, hitting 1071. The wind is light and variable, mostly cross-on, but we’re on the edge of something good. It’s still just marginal, but you can feel the potential.

The real standout, the one to circle on your calendar, is Saturday, September 5th and Sunday, September 6th. Saturday morning sees a 4 ft SW swell with a 16-second period, and the energy is pumping at 1252. The wind is light from the SW, which is cross-on, but it’s light. Sunday the 6th pushes the swell up to 5 ft to 6 ft from the SSW, with a 14-second period and the energy maxing out at 1382. The wind is light from the WSW, mostly onshore, but it’s so light you might get some clean ones. This is the best of the run. It’s a bit big for beginners at 6 ft, and the long period (14-16 seconds) means it’s a proper groundswell, so expect longer waits between sets. Donuts being a reef, this long-period swell should actually line up nicely. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best we’ve got.

After that, Monday the 7th sees the swell hold at 6 ft to 6 ft, but the wind picks up to a moderate 12 mph cross-onshore, and the quality drops off again. The energy is still strong at 1479, but it’s going to be choppy.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a bust. The second week, especially Saturday, September 5th and Sunday, September 6th, is your best shot. It’s not a classic, but it’s as good as it gets in this stretch.

Rusty.

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