Doran Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

We're looking at Doran Beach, and it's a bit of a mixed bag. The water is sitting at 59°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you might not need the thickest wetsuit. Overall, the pattern is a lot of average, onshore-affected surf with some standout spikes that are honestly too big for this spot.

Let's start with the immediate window. Sunday July 26th through Wednesday July 30th we have a persistent run of small, clean surf. Swell is coming from the SW around 3ft, but it's a long-period groundswell, 17 to 19 seconds. That's a proper long-period groundswell, which means better shaped waves, more energy, and longer lulls between sets, making the paddle out easier. The combined swell energy is moderate to strong (717 to 952 range). The wind is a steady cross-off, keeping things tidy. It's not huge, but it's rideable and clean. The main issue is that it's a consistent but marginal forecast, so don't expect perfection.

Now, here's where it gets interesting, but not for the faint-hearted. Wednesday July 29th afternoon, the swell jumps to 10ft from the NW, but with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy rockets up to 1581. The wind and tide are favorable, but 10ft is too big for this break – that's expert-only territory, and even then, it's likely a washing machine. That same pattern repeats on Thursday July 30th afternoon (10ft, NW, 8s) and again on Saturday August 1st afternoon (10ft, NW, 8s). These are not your typical fun-sized waves; they're big, short-period, and will be a handful. For a beginner spot like this, it's a no-go.

The best of the rest comes in the second week. Friday July 31st morning offers a drop to 3ft, but from the SSW with a 14-second period. The wind is a gentle cross-off, and the forecast says "expect very good surf conditions." This might be your best window for a fun, clean, manageable wave. Then Sunday August 2nd morning has 6ft WNW swell with a 9-second period, light wind, and another "very good surf conditions" call. That's worth a look.

After that, from Monday August 3rd onwards, the wind turns onshore, the swell drops, and the quality tanks. We get a run of poor to marginal conditions for several days. The wind is mostly light, but coming from the south or southwest, which is onshore here. The swell stays around 4ft to 6ft, but it's weak and messy. Not worth the paddle.

So, the standout pick? For most of us, it's Friday July 31st morning. Small, clean, long-period groundswell from the SSW. That's your best chance for a proper session. For the brave and experienced, Wednesday July 29th afternoon has the size, but it's a big, raw, short-period beast that's honestly more suited to a big wave board and a lot of nerve.

Rusty.

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