Dreamtime Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight up – this 16-day window for Dreamtime is mostly a write-off for decent paddle surfing. The first real surfable window is a long way off, and there are big gaps of nothing worth paddling out for.

Right now, through to the end of July and into the first week of August, it’s all rough and messy. We’ve got a moderate cross-shore and cross-onshore breeze from the south at 12 to 16 mph, with swell sitting around 3 ft to 4 ft but from a short, weak south direction. It’s poor, choppy, and not worth your time. Water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Moving into the first few days of August, the swell picks up a bit – Saturday the 1st sees 6 ft from the SSE, but it’s still cross-onshore with rain showers, so quality is junk. Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd are only marginally better, with the swell hanging around 4 ft to 5 ft from the SSE/SE, but the wind is still cross-onshore. Combined energy hits moderate to strong levels – around 532 to 675 – but it’s all wasted with the choppy conditions.

Then we hit a dead zone. From Tuesday the 4th through to the end of the first week of August, the swell drops right off. We’re looking at 2 ft to 3 ft, weak energy (85 to 92 range), and mostly poor conditions. Wednesday the 5th morning does have a brief moment of glassy wind from the south at 3 mph with 2 ft swell from the ESE, but the waves are tiny and ordinary – not worth getting wet for.

There’s another long gap of poor surf until we finally get a standout. Mark Monday the 10th of August on your calendar. That morning, Dreamtime sees clean conditions with a light cross-offshore breeze from the NNW at 6 mph. Swell is 3 ft from the ESE with a long period of 12 seconds – that’s groundswell energy, and it’ll have some real shape. Combined energy is 327 – moderate, but the quality is there. It’s not huge, but for a spot that’s been flat and blown out, this is the best on offer. Expect clean lines, good for intermediates, and it’s fairly consistent. Crowds are possible, so get in early.

The next day, Tuesday the 11th, is back to poor. Then, Wednesday the 12th of August afternoon is a real treat. Glassy conditions with a light ESE breeze at 3 mph, swell at 5 ft from the SSE with a short period of 8 seconds, but the combined energy is very strong at 733. This one is worth the wait – clean, punchy waves, but that short period means it’ll be a bit sectiony. Good for those who can handle a bit of power.

After that, the wind picks up again through to the middle of the month, with fresh southerlies and messy conditions. Not much else to chase.

So, to wrap it up: the first real clean surf is on Monday the 10th of August, with the glassy standout on Wednesday the 12th of August afternoon. Everything before that is a write-off. Keep an eye on forecasts, because it’s been a slow spell, but when it comes, it’ll be clean and worth it.

Rusty.

Read more