Doran Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with the lowdown on Doran Beach. Let’s be real: the next couple of weeks aren’t going to set the world on fire.

We’re looking at a whole lot of small, average surf. The wave energy is weak to moderate for most of the stretch, with combined energy values hanging in the low hundreds for a lot of the time. There’s no big, dramatic swell on the horizon. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t pop up until the Tuesday afternoon of the 25th of August.

For the opening days, from Tuesday the 18th through Monday the 24th, it’s a proper grind. The swell sits between about 1ft and 3ft, mixed with a lot of cross-shore and cross-offshore winds, and honestly, the reports say “marginal” or “poor.” The one session that really cuts through is Thursday morning, the 28th of August. We’re looking at very good conditions with a 5ft swell from the WNW, period around 9 seconds. The combined energy hits 665 (moderate), and the wind is a light, clean cross-offshore from the WNW. That is your best bet for a proper wave, no doubt.

Earlier, the Thursday morning of the 20th of August shows a glimpse of “very good” with a 3ft WNW swell and light cross-off wind, but it’s small. For the beginners out there, the swell never really breaches 5ft, so it’s generally safe, but the quality is just missing until that last week of August.

The build-up near the end of the month gives us a bigger pulse on Thursday the 27th of August. The afternoon brings a 6ft NW swell with a combined energy of 711 (moderate-strong) and clean cross-off wind. That one has some punch, but 6ft is getting a little chunky for the less experienced.

Water temp to start is around 60°, which is about 2° warmer than usual for this time of year. Not a huge deal, just a little warmer than normal.

Honestly, the morning of the 28th of August is the only real standout. The rest of the forecast is a lot of waiting. Doran is an inconsistent spot, so this kind of quiet period isn't unusual. It’s a beach break exposed to the SW, and the ideal direction is SW. Most of the decent swell is coming from the WNW and NW, so the angle isn’t perfect. Crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might see a few heads on the good days.

So, keep your expectations in check. Don’t bother suiting up before that Thursday the 28th of August unless you just want to sit in the water. That’s the one to aim for.

Rusty.

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