Dreamland Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got one spot on the menu, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag with a silver lining way out there.

The overall pattern? It’s mostly a story of waiting. We’ve got a long stretch of marginal, onshore-affected surf that’s hard to get excited about. The wind is set to be a persistent cross-off from the ESE to SE, which keeps things clean but doesn’t help the shape much. The real interest builds late in the window, but we’ll need a lot of patience to get there.

Right now, from Monday the 27th of July, we’re looking at poor surf. The swell is coming in from the SE at 6 ft, but with a short period of 8 seconds, it’s just not packing any punch. The energy is weak (769), and the 22 mph breeze, while clean, isn’t doing the waves any favours. This is a definite no-go for a paddle.

Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th see a shift to a more promising direction. The swell swings around to the SSW, and the period jumps right up to 16 seconds on Tuesday, dropping to 14 on Wednesday. That’s a proper groundswell. The problem is the size drops to 3 ft and 4 ft, and with the wind still cross-off from the ESE, the conditions are described as “marginal”. The energy is still moderate (714 and 775). Not worth a trip.

Thursday the 30th through to Sunday the 2nd of August is where we start to see a slow build. The SSW swell hangs in, with periods staying between 15 and 18 seconds – that’s a long-period groundswell, which is great for shape and paddle-outs. The energy climbs from 1247 into the strong range, hitting 1676 on Saturday and 2583 on Sunday. The swell size goes from 5 ft up to 7 ft. The wind remains a clean cross-off. Still, the forecast calls it “marginal,” which tells me there’s probably a tide issue or the swell is a bit too straight for a beach-and-reef setup like Dreamland. For a surfer, this is a tough one to pull the trigger on, but the energy is building.

Now, the true standout finally arrives on Sunday the 9th of August. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The swell is predicted to be 8 ft to 10 ft from the SSW, with a period of 17 seconds – that’s a very long-period groundswell. The energy is very strong, hitting 3859 on Sunday morning and peaking at 4714 on Sunday afternoon. This is serious power. The wind is a clean cross-off from the SE at 12 mph. For a spot like Dreamland, which is fairly exposed to the SW and has an optimum swell from that direction, this could be pumping. However, the water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no worries there.

A couple of caveats. At 8 ft to 10 ft, this is expert territory. Beginners should stay well clear. Also, that very long period (17 seconds) might make the waves a bit too straight and fast for a beach break setup, but Dreamland is a beach and reef mix, so there could be a take-off zone that handles it. Expect crowds to be likely, as “sometimes” is the word for this spot.

The setup runs into the next week. Monday the 10th of August still holds 10 ft at 16 seconds (4213 energy), and Tuesday the 11th is 8 ft at 14 seconds (2496). That’s a solid run of surf, but the real standout is undoubtedly that Sunday afternoon session.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a washout with marginal, clean but weak surf. The second week holds real promise, with Sunday the 9th of August looking like the best bet by a long shot. It’s a long-range call, so don’t bank on it, but it’s the one to keep an eye on.

Rusty.

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