Dracula Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the outlook for our local reef, Dracula. It’s a tricky one this time, because the predominant winds are set to be a real pest for the first two weeks, blowing cross or cross-onshore almost every day.

We start on Saturday, the 22nd of August. The swell is a modest 4.6ft from the NNW, but the wind is a cross-onshore at 15.5 mph, chopping it up and making it a write-off. The combined energy of all swells is weak (287). Water temp is sitting at 71.2°F, which is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The next week doesn’t offer much relief. Sunday the 23rd has a morning window with a 3.6ft NNW swell at a nicer 10-second period, but it’s still cross-onshore. The afternoon sees a jump in energy to moderate (760) with a 3.6ft NW swell, but that 12.4 mph cross-onshore wind ruins it. Through Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the pattern stays the same: the swell gets a bit better, with a 5.2ft NW swell on Monday morning (647 energy) and a 4.6ft on Tuesday morning (307 energy), but the wind just won’t cooperate. Everything is cross or cross-onshore, leaving the surface lumpy.

The energy starts to build significantly towards the end of the first week. Thursday the 27th afternoon sees a 5.9ft NNW swell with 255 energy, but it’s getting a fresh 18.6 mph cross wind, turning it into a messy cross-chop. By Friday the 28th, the swell is getting serious. The morning has a 6.6ft NNW swell (548 energy), but still cross. The afternoon jumps to 8.2ft (907 energy), but again, strong cross-winds. That’s expert-only territory due to the size, but the wind makes it a real struggle. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The second week starts to show some promise, but it’s a long way out. The real standouts are the mornings of Monday the 31st of August, Tuesday the 1st of September, and Wednesday the 2nd of September. On Monday the 31st, we get glassy conditions with a 5.9ft NNW swell (384 energy). That is clean, manageable size, and the break is exposed to the west, which matches the swell direction nicely. Tuesday the 1st is nearly identical: glassy, 5.9ft NNW swell (378 energy). Wednesday the 2nd is the same: glassy, 5.2ft NNW swell (288 energy). These three mornings are the best on offer – clean, lined-up waves at a consistent reef. The break is "very consistent" and an advanced reef, so expect some power, but crowds are only "sometimes" an issue.

After that, the swell drops off. Thursday the 3rd morning is glassy but only 3.9ft (172 energy), and it’s just surfable, nothing special. Friday and Saturday mornings are small and glassy, but the energy is low. The weekend of the 5th and 6th of September sees the swell drop to under 3.3ft, and the wind returns, so it’s back to poor conditions.

Bottom line: Don’t expect much for the first two weeks unless you’re a kite surfer in the strong winds. The golden window is the last day of August and the first two days of September – those mornings with glassy conditions and a solid 5.2ft to 5.9ft groundswell from the NNW. That is where the magic is at.

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