Doran Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for our local stretch.

Right off the bat, we're looking at a pretty mixed bag over the next couple of weeks. The main player is Doran Beach, and it's a spot that's inconsistent, so we need to pick our moments. The water temperature is sitting at 57°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

For the first week, the surf is either going to be too big or just a bit messy. Wednesday the 29th of July has some size, a solid 10ft NW swell, but at 22 mph, the wind is a cross-off breeze. The combined energy is strong at 1581, but that swell is just too much for this break. It's a beach setup, and with that kind of power, it's looking more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddling. Thursday the 30th morning is a different story: a drop to 3ft from the SSW, but with a very long 16-second period. That's proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is moderate at 947. The wind is light and cross-off, so it will be clean. But for a beach break like Doran, that long period can make things break a bit too straight. It's a tease, but the score isn't high enough to get excited.

The standouts, if you can call them that, come later. Friday the 31st of July morning has a similar setup: 3ft of SSW groundswell at 14 seconds, with gentle cross-off breezes. Again, clean but small and a bit tricky for the beach. Friday afternoon picks up to 8ft but the period drops to 7 seconds, which is short-period windswell and not great. The weekend of the 1st and 2nd of August sees the swell jump back up, with Saturday afternoon hitting 12ft from the WNW (combined energy of 1644) and Sunday afternoon at 10ft. The wind stays cross-off, but at 10ft+ this is expert-only territory, and again, it's too big for the break's character. The best true window for a regular surfer is actually Thursday the 6th of August. The morning has a 5ft NW swell at 10 seconds, with light cross-onshore winds (combined energy 494). It's not perfect, but it's the most manageable size with a decent period. The wind is light, so it won't be blown out.

Further out, the second week is quieter. From the 7th of August onwards, the swell drops back into the 5ft to 7ft range, mostly from the NW. The wind is generally light, often cross or cross-off, which is good. The periods hover around 10-11 seconds, offering some decent shape. The real highlight in the second week is the 11th and 12th of August. The swell drops right down to 2ft, but it's coming from the SW with a very long period of 17 and 18 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (around 586-614). This is a classic long-period groundswell, and with light winds, it will be glassy. But at that size, it's a log day. The 13th of August morning has a similar tiny 3ft SW swell at 16 seconds, with near-calm winds. It's small, but it could be the best bet for a clean, longboard session.

Overall, it's a tough forecast. The first few days are either onshore, too big, or have that tricky long-period for a beach break. The best bet for a proper wave is probably the 6th of August morning for a manageable size, or the 11th-13th of August for a glassy, clean, but very small longboard session. For now, the 6th of August morning is the pick of the bunch.

Rusty.

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