Drakes Estero Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a slow start, but things build up to a solid weekend. The first real surf worthy of a paddle shows up on Monday the 3rd of August. Drakes Estero will see a 6ft WNW swell, with a period of 10 seconds, and the morning is glassy under a light S breeze. The water is about average for this time of year. The combined energy of all swells directed here is moderate (675). By the afternoon, the wind swings WNW and goes cross-off, making the 5ft waves clean and lined up. It’s a good start, but not the best of the run.

Tuesday and Wednesday the 4th and 5th are a write-off. The swell drops, the wind gets messy, and the scores are zero. We’re looking at a couple of days where you’re better off cleaning the wax off your board.

The real standout comes on Saturday the 8th of August. The morning sees a solid 6ft NW swell, but here’s the thing – the period is only 8 seconds, so it’s a short-period wind swell, which means it’s going to be a bit bumpy and won’t have that clean groundswell push. The wind is cross-off from the NW at 12 mph, so it’ll be clean on the face, but the wave energy is strong (1017). This is more for the experienced crew; 6ft with short period can be a bit of a handful and not great for beginners. The afternoon gets bigger at 7ft and windy, but the quality drops off.

The real gem of the whole outlook is Sunday the 9th of August. Drakes Estero fires up with a 6ft WNW swell at 10 seconds, and the morning is clean with a light cross-off breeze. The combined energy is strong (937). This is proper surf – solid, clean, and the wind is right. It’s a fairly consistent spot, so you should get plenty of waves. Crowds are possible here, so get in early. This is the best bet on offer.

After that, the swell hangs around for Monday and Tuesday the 10th and 11th, with 6ft and 4ft, but the wind is more cross-shore or cross-on, so the quality is marginal. The following week from the 12th onwards is a lot smaller and weaker, with only a few glimpses of rideable surf. Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th have some small, clean waves from the SW, but nothing to get excited about. The long-range stuff is just a flicker.

So, bottom line: Sunday the 9th of August is your day. The rest is a mix of a decent start, a flat spell, and then a fading tail.

Rusty.

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