Doolin Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Doolin Point over the next couple weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead.

Right off the bat, from Sunday the 16th of August all the way through the end of the month, the story is pretty much the same: the waves are there at times, but the wind just won't play ball. We’ve got persistent onshore and cross-onshore winds from the west and southwest, and that’s messing up what could be some decent swells. The water is sitting at a warm 63°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – a nice little bonus if you’re in the water anyway, but it won’t fix the chop.

For the first week, from Sunday afternoon through to the following weekend, we see swell heights between 3ft and 8ft. The biggest push comes on Wednesday the 19th, with a 8ft swell from the west and a period of 10 seconds. That’s got some serious energy behind it (1420), but with a fresh breeze blowing onshore, it’s going to be a messy, blown-out affair. Not the clean lines you want at a reef break like this. That size is also expert territory – too much for beginners, for sure.

Thursday the 20th sees the swell drop a bit, but it’s still cross-shore winds making a chop of things. By Friday the 21st, the swell fades right down to 2ft – not worth paddling out for. The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd is flat, with tiny 1ft to 1ft waves. The morning of Sunday the 23rd does see glassy conditions, but with only 1ft on offer, it's a flat calm, not surfable.

There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations – from around the 21st to the 25th, it’s either too small or too windy. Then on Tuesday the 25th of August, we get a little pulse back: 5ft from the west, 9-second period, and moderate energy (323). But again, the wind is cross-onshore from the northwest. It’s not going to be pretty.

Later on, Thursday the 27th of August afternoon looks like our only real highlight in this whole outlook. The wind swings around to a light southeast breeze, giving us clean, cross-off conditions. The swell is 5ft from the west, but the period is a short 6 seconds – so it’s going to be a bit weak and bumpy, but at least the surface will be clean. The energy is only 139, so it’s not a powerhouse, but it’s the best we’ve got.

Then it gets ugly again. From the 28th of August onwards, we’ve got strong to near-gale force winds from the west and west-northwest, with swell climbing back up to 7ft on the 30th. That’s all blown to bits. Honestly, if you’re looking for paddle surfing, this stretch is a write-off. With the wind and the chop, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than for a standard surf session.

So, to be blunt: the only half-decent moment in this whole 16-day window is the afternoon of Thursday the 27th of August, when the wind finally gives us a break. Even then, don’t expect perfection. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or both. It’s a tough run, but that’s how it goes sometimes. The forecasts can change, so keep an eye out, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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