Dracula Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, gather 'round, grab a coffee and let's talk about Dracula. This is a heavy, exposed reef break that's only for the advanced crew. It's on the cards for the next couple of weeks, but we've got to wait for the right windows.

The pattern starts with a bit of a frustrating wait. Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd are a write-off; the wind is a mess, cross-shore and rippled, making things messy. The swell is there, running 6ft to 6ft from the NNW, but it's short period stuff at 7-8 seconds, so the energy is moderate (315-392) but the surface is too chopped up to bother.

The real first sign of life comes on Friday morning, the 24th. We've got a glassy 6ft NNW swell (397 moderate energy) and the wind is dead calm. That's a beautiful thing. The swell is right on the cusp of being too big for beginners, but for the experienced surfer, that's a proper session. The water is sitting at 68°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you'll want a decent suit.

The standout of the whole stretch is shaping up to be Saturday morning, the 25th. The swell has bumped up to 8ft from the NNW, and the wind is a clean cross-offshore from the NNE at just 6 mph. The combined energy is strong at 744. That's a serious amount of power, but the conditions should be clean. It's legitimately good, but remember, at 8ft, this is expert territory. On the flip side, Saturday afternoon is a no-go with a 22 mph cross-wind ruining the party.

We have another absolute gem on Monday morning, the 27th. The wind is totally glassy again, and the swell is a solid 7ft from the NNW (527 moderate energy). That's a dream scenario for a reef break. The morning sessions are the key here.

There’s a bit of a lull mid-week, with the swell dropping to 4-5ft and the wind turning cross-onshore, but the following week continues to offer hopeful windows. The 30th of July shows another glassy morning, with 5ft from the NNW. Then Friday the 31st gives us a clean offshore breeze from the E, holding up 5ft. The 1st and 2nd of August also have clean, glassy or cross-off mornings in the 5ft to 6ft range. The 4th and 5th of August close out the run with more glassy starts.

The real highlight is definitely Saturday morning, the 25th, with that solid 8ft cross-off. The Monday morning, the 27th, with the glassy 7ft is a close second. Just remember, this is Dracula - it's a consistently breaking reef, but it's not for the faint-hearted. The crowds can show up *sometimes*, so expect company if you head out. The longer period groundswells are perfect for this kind of setup.

Rusty.

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