Donuts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this stretch is one of those quiet spells where you’ve gotta be patient. The next couple of weeks at Donuts (reef) are mostly a write-off for decent waves. There’s a lot of days where the wind is on it or cross-onshore, and the swell is just too weak or messy to get excited about. The water temp is sitting at 21° which is pretty much average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

From Saturday 22 August through to Monday 25 August, it’s all poor surf conditions. Tiny swell around 2 ft to 2 ft, mostly from the SW, with periods that are long – up to 19 seconds – which would normally mean some energy, but the direction is sheltered and the winds are mostly cross-onshore or onshore. The combined energy is weak to moderate (272 to 531), but it’s just not coming together. Tuesday 25 August afternoon sees a slight bump to 3 ft from the SSW with a 13-second period and light cross-onshore wind, but it’s still marginal at best.

Wednesday 26 August kicks up a bit with 4 ft from the S on the morning, period 12 seconds, but the wind is a moderate 16 mph cross-shore. That’s messy, choppy, and honestly more of a kite-surfing setup than something you’d paddle into. Combined energy hits 800 – moderate – but the quality is poor.

Thursday 27 to Friday 28 August drops back to 2 ft–4 ft, still with cross or cross-onshore breezes. Nothing to rush out for. Then Saturday 29 August morning shows a glimmer: 4 ft from the SW, 16-second period, light cross-shore wind, and combined energy up to 707. It’s still only marginal, but if you’re desperate, that’s the pick of a bad bunch. The break is inconsistent and sometimes crowded, so you might have it to yourself if you’re keen.

Sunday 30 August stays marginal with 3 ft from the SW, 15-second period, light cross-onshore wind. Then from Monday 31 August through to Friday 4 September, it’s back to poor conditions – swell between 3 ft and 5 ft, but the wind is either cross or cross-onshore, and the combined energy ranges from 370 up to 933. The best-looking day in that stretch is Tuesday 1 September afternoon: 5 ft from the SSW, 14-second period, light cross-onshore wind, combined energy 869 – still marginal, but at least there’s a bit of push.

Saturday 5 September and Sunday 6 September finish the run with 3 ft–4 ft from the SW, light onshore winds, and marginal conditions. Nothing here is a standout. The best of the whole 16 days is probably Tuesday 1 September afternoon or Saturday 29 August morning, but even then, it’s just okay. If you’re not fussed, you could get a few grovelly ones, but don’t expect much.

Rusty.

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