Dreamland Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid run of south-west swell lining up for Dreamland, but don’t get too excited just yet – the forecast is calling it a touch marginal through the first week, mostly due to tide considerations. Still, the waves will be there, and the water is sitting at a warm 79°, which is dead average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The pattern kicks off with a good, long-period groundswell. On Wednesday 9th September, we’re looking at a solid 8 ft swell from the SSW, with a period of 16 seconds. That’s a proper long-period groundswell. The energy is strong, clocking in at 3182, so there’s plenty of push. The wind is a cross-offshore from the SE at 12 mph, which keeps the faces clean. That 16-second period is a beauty – it’ll wrap into Dreamland nicely, but with that length, expect longer lulls between sets. It’s not a beachie where it’ll just run straight, so the reef and point elements here should handle it well. This swell sticks around through Thursday (10th), dropping slightly to 7 ft, still with a 15-16 second period and clean cross-off winds. The energy stays high, in the 2,300-2,400 range.

Come Friday 11th through Sunday 13th, the swell direction flicks a touch more SW, and the height bumps around 5 ft to 6 ft. The period is still very long, 14-18 seconds, meaning the quality is there for the experienced crew. The combined energy is still strong, between 1,700 and 2,500. The winds stay light to moderate and cross-off, so surfaces will be clean. Saturday 12th sees the smallest surf of this early stretch, with 5 ft to 5 ft, and the energy drops to 1,280, so it’s a bit weaker – a good day for a longer board or a rest.

The end of the first week and into the second week (Monday 14th to Saturday 19th) sees a consistent run of 5 ft to 7 ft swell from the SW, with periods around 14-16 seconds. The winds are a steady cross-off from the SE or ESE, at 9-16 mph, so it’s clean but not glassy. The energy is generally moderate to strong, between 1,100 and 1,650. Nothing is a standout here, but it’s consistent. The biggest issue flagged is the tide, which could be making things a bit tricky.

Now, the real highlight comes in the final days. Sunday 20th September, the swell picks up to 7 ft-7 ft from the SW, with a period of 16-17 seconds and energy surging to 2,535. Then on Monday 21st, it holds at 7 ft-7 ft, period 15 seconds, with lighter 9 mph winds. Tuesday 22nd throws a curveball: a 5 ft to 6 ft swell, but with a very long period of 20 seconds. That’s a seriously long-period groundswell, and the energy jumps to 3,164. This will be a dream for the reef and point sections at Dreamland – deep, powerful lines with long waits.

But the absolute best on offer is Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th of September. Wednesday morning starts with 8 ft from the SSW at 17 seconds, and the energy is massive at 4,560, building to 5,519 in the afternoon. Thursday 24th is the big one: 10 ft from the SSW, period 17 seconds, with energy at 5,714. That’s a beast. The wind is light and cross-off from the SE at 9 mph. This is expert territory – over 8 ft, it’s for the experienced crew only. The morning of Thursday 24th is tagged as excellent surf for experienced surfers. This is the standout: big, powerful, clean groundswell hitting Dreamland. It’s a long way out, so treat it as promising, but the signs are beautiful.

The break is fairly consistent, and the crowds are listed as “sometimes” – so, possible, but not a given. With this quality on the cards, it might get a bit busier than usual.

The whole run has a cross-off wind, never truly offshore or glassy, but it’s clean enough. The period is nearly always long, which is a big plus for wave shape and energy. If you’re less experienced, stick to the smaller days around 5 ft to 5 ft, and avoid the 8 ft+ days unless you’re charging.

Rusty.

Read more