Dracula Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Dracula over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I’ve got to be straight with you – this forecast is a bit of a grind. There’s no real standout session that I’d get overly excited about, but there are a few windows where it’ll be worth paddling out. The water temp is sitting right around average for this time of year at 70°F, so nothing to worry about on that front.

The first real chance to get wet is Sunday morning, August 2nd. We’ve got a 5ft swell rolling in from the NNW with a short period of 6 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate at 197. The wind is light from the north, so it’s cross-shore with just a bit of texture. Nothing flashy, but it’s surfable. The morning is the pick – the afternoon sees the wind swing NW and pick up to 12 mph, turning it choppy and cross-onshore.

Monday morning, August 3rd, the swell bumps up just a touch to 5ft, still from the NNW, period still short at 6 seconds. The combined energy is 235 – moderate. Wind is light from the north at 3 mph, so it’s clean enough, but the data says it’s marginal. The afternoon is a write-off with a fresh 19 mph cross-onshore.

Tuesday morning, August 4th offers 6ft of NNW swell (7 second period, combined energy 293) and a gentle cross-shore breeze. It’s still only marginal though. The afternoon gets lumpy and messy.

Now, Wednesday morning, August 5th might be worth a look – 6ft, NNW, 7 seconds, combined energy 403, and a gentle cross-shore breeze. Again, it’s marginal. The afternoon is a no-go.

Thursday morning, August 6th – this is probably the best we’ve got in the first week. The swell is 6ft from the NNW, period 7 seconds, combined energy 422 (moderate). The wind is glassy from the ENE at just 3 mph. That’s clean. It’s not a massive day, but for a reef break like Dracula, that glassy morning will be the pick of the week. The afternoon gets a cross-shore chop.

Friday morning, August 7th – another glassy morning with 6ft NNW swell, 8 second period, combined energy 484. The wind is glassy again from the NNW at 3 mph. This is another good window. The afternoons are consistently messy, so mornings are your only chance.

Saturday morning, August 8th – 6ft, NNW, 8 seconds, combined energy 424, light cross-shore wind. Marginal but surfable. The afternoon is a mess.

Sunday morning, August 9th – glassy again, calm winds, 6ft NNW swell at 8 seconds, combined energy 486. This is a solid morning. The afternoon, like clockwork, gets messy.

Monday morning, August 10th – glassy, calm, 6ft NNW swell, 8 seconds, combined energy 386. Another decent morning session.

Tuesday morning, August 11th – 7ft NNW swell, 8 seconds, combined energy 474, light cross-shore. Marginal.

Wednesday morning, August 12th – 6ft, NNW, 8 seconds, combined energy 419, gentle cross-shore. Marginal.

After that, the swell starts to drop off. Thursday morning, August 13th – 5ft from the NW, 8 seconds, combined energy 398, light cross-onshore. Marginal. From Friday, August 14th through to the end of the forecast, we’re looking at smaller waves, mostly below 5ft, with short periods and messy winds. The last few days, Sunday, August 16th and Monday, August 17th, have glassy mornings but only 2ft waves – very small, ordinary conditions.

So, the standout windows are the glassy mornings on Thursday, August 6th, Friday, August 7th, Sunday, August 9th, and Monday, August 10th. The swell is consistent at around 6ft, and the light to glassy winds make Dracula as clean as it’s going to get. The crowds can be a thing here sometimes, so keep that in mind.

If you’re a beginner, those 6ft waves on a reef might be a bit much. If you’re an expert, you’ll know the line-up. The period is short (6-8 seconds), so it’s not a proper groundswell – more of a windswell, meaning the waves will be a bit crumbly and not as long-running. It’s a reef, so it’ll still offer some shape.

There’s a gap from around August 14th through to the 17th where the surf is pretty lacklustre, with tiny waves and poor conditions. Before that, the mornings are your friend.

Rusty.

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