Doolin Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming our way. We’ve only got one spot on the menu, and it’s a proper heavyweight: Doolin Point. This is an expert-only reef set-up that needs a good westerly groundswell and the right wind to fire. When it’s on, it’s a world-class wave, but this 16-day window is a wild ride, with some massive swells and a lot of wind to deal with.

The opening salvo kicks off on Monday afternoon, the 24th of August. Surfline’s showing a clean, 3ft swell from the west with 11-second period, and a light cross-off breeze. The water temp is sitting at 63°F, which is about a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. The combined energy is moderate (245). It’s a solid start for the experts, and the tide will be key.

Tuesday, the 25th, keeps the 3ft west swell rolling, but it gets a bit windier in the morning with a 15 km/h offshore easterly. The energy drops a touch (181), but it’s still very surfable. The afternoon sees the swell dropping to 3ft with a 9-second period and a light NE cross-off. Ordinary conditions, but still a wave.

From Wednesday the 26th through Thursday the 28th, the swell fades fast. We're looking at tiny, weak waves under 3ft and barely any energy (as low as 28). The wind is mostly clean or glassy at times, but there's simply not enough power. It’s a dead spell.

Friday the 28th through the end of the month gets ugly. A strong onshore wind pattern (WNW, SW) kicks up, blowing 15 to 28 mph across a rising, but messy, swell. The wave height bounces between 2ft and 4ft, but the energy is weak to moderate, and the wind is going to make it a choppy, lumpy mess. This stretch is honestly more interesting for the kite surfers than paddlers.

We hit a significant lull from the Saturday the 30th right through the end of the month and into the start of September. It’s just poor quality, blown-out, or tiny surf. There are several days here where you wouldn’t bother paddling out.

Now, things get very interesting, and a bit intimidating, in early September. The forecast shows an absolute pulse of energy. On Wednesday morning, the 2nd of September, a massive 12ft west swell with 9-second period arrives, though it’s cross-on choppy. The energy is enormous (1736). This is for experts only, and the wind is making it look like a washing machine.

Saturday morning, the 5th of September, offers a slim window of genius. A huge 10ft west swell with an 11-second period, and the wind goes completely glassy. The energy is off the charts (2476). This is the standout moment – a massive, powerful groundswell hitting a world-class reef with glassy offshore conditions. But, it is too big for anyone but the absolute top-tier charger. The caveat is that a long-period swell like this can sometimes break straight at beach breaks, but at Doolin Point, a reef, it will be a long, lined-up wall.

The madness continues. On Monday the 7th of September, a truly colossal 30ft swell from the west, with an incredible 18-second period, is forecast. The energy reading of 48,854 tells you everything. Again, it's cross-on and too big. This is a swell to watch from the cliff, not to paddle into.

As we move through the second week, the energy drops but remains significant. Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th have large, messy swells (5ft to 12ft) with poor cross-on winds. Sunday the 6th sees a drop to a 6ft west swell, but it’s cross-off with a fresh breeze, making it a marginal call. By Tuesday the 8th, it’s back to a cleaner 8ft west swell with an 11 second period, but the wind is cross-on again, spoiling the party.

In short: The best window on offer is the glass-off on Saturday morning, the 5th of September, despite it being an expert-only, massive swell. The preceding week is mostly a write-off due to wind or lack of swell. The second week has colossal energy, but the winds are rarely friendly.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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