Dracula Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the Dracula stretch over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: the first week is a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a solid run of poor conditions thanks to a persistent cross-onshore or cross-shore wind messing up what little swell is around. The energy is weak, mostly in the 100 to 120 range, and that short period swell just isn't doing us any favours. It’s a frustrating start, but don’t hang up your leash just yet.

Tuesday the 18th through to the end of the week sees Dracula struggling with bumpy, choppy water. The swell is tiny, around 3 ft to 5 ft, and the wind is ruining any chance of a clean face. It’s all a bit of a battle.

We get a bit of a bump in size on Saturday the 22nd, with the swell climbing to 6 ft in the morning and 8 ft in the afternoon. The energy is starting to show some muscle now, hitting 457 in the morning and 586 in the afternoon on the combined energy scale. But the wind is still a problem—fresh cross-onshore in the pm—so it’s lumpy and messy. A bit of a tease.

Then, finally, a glimmer of hope. Sunday morning, the 23rd of August. The wind drops to glassy, and we’ve got a clean 5 ft swell from the NNW. The combined energy is a solid 352, and with that glassy surface, it’s going to be the best we’ve seen all week. The morning session is the one to aim for. The afternoon gets chewed up again by a fresh cross-shore, so don’t sleep in.

Monday the 24th is a bit of a mixed bag. The morning has a 6 ft swell with the energy at 454, but it’s still cross-shore and a bit messy. The tide could be a factor too. It’s marginal.

The real standout, the one to circle on the calendar, is Thursday the 27th of August. The morning is absolutely glassy, dead calm, with a 6 ft NNW swell. The energy is pumping at 375. This is the one. Clean, head-high plus, and you’ll have the place to yourself for a bit before the crowds show up. It’s a reef break, and with that glassy wind, it’s going to be firing. The water temp is sitting at 71°, which is spot on average for this time of year, so no need for a thick wetsuit.

The good news keeps coming. Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th also have glassy mornings with solid 6 ft swell. The energy is high, 428 and 459 respectively. These are the mornings to get your fix. The afternoons go a bit sloppy again, but the early birds are going to eat well.

The longest period we see all window is a 9-second swell on Sunday the 30th of August, coming from the NW. It’s a little smaller in the morning, 4 ft, but glassy again with a southeast wind. The energy is still a strong 373. It’s a good clean option to wrap up the month.

Looking into the first few days of September, the energy stays big, with readings in the 500 to 600-plus range, but the swell is 6 ft to 7 ft, and the wind is back to being a problem, mostly cross-shore and fresh. The mornings are marginal, but the afternoons are blown out. Not your best bet.

To sum it up: The first week is a washout. Hold out for the glassy mornings from Sunday the 23rd, and especially Thursday the 27th through Saturday the 29th. That’s your window. No crowds expected on those early glass-offs, and Dracula will be offering up some clean, punchy reef waves. Get on it.

Rusty.

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