Dreamtime Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let me tell you, it's been a tough stretch at Dreamtime. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a mixed bag, but we do have a couple of bright spots to look forward to if you're patient.

Overall Pattern
The first week and a half is mostly a write-off, with poor surf conditions and a lot of onshore or cross-onshore wind messing things up. The swell energy is generally weak to moderate, with the combined energy reading between 57 and 455 (moderate) for most of that time. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so nothing unusual there.

The Early Grind (July 29th – August 11th)
From Wednesday morning, July 29th, right through to the morning of Monday, August 11th, it’s a real struggle. The swell is small, often under 3 ft, and the wind is almost always from the south or east, putting a chop on the surface. Mornings like Thursday, July 30th, offer a 2 ft SSE swell, but with a 12 mph cross-onshore, it's just choppy. Even when the swell bumps up a bit, like Friday, August 1st, with a 5 ft SSE swell, the wind is still cross-onshore and the waves are poor. The period on these swells is mostly short, between 6 and 10 seconds, so there's no real power behind them. The only real glimmer in this whole stretch is Monday morning, August 3rd. We get a glassy 4 ft SSE swell with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is a decent 438 (moderate). The waves will be clean, but it's still a marginal call for the tide. Come Tuesday, August 4th, the morning is glassy again with a 3 ft SE swell, but it's ordinary.

The Standout: Thursday, August 13th
Now, this is the one. The forecast for Thursday, August 13th, is a proper standout. The morning will see a 7 ft S swell rolling in, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 973 (strong), so there's serious power in the water. The wind is from the north at 6 mph, which is a clean offshore for Dreamtime. The guidance says the optimum swell direction is from the SE, so while this S swell isn't perfect, it's still going to produce some solid, clean lines. The report says the wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. Let me put it plainly: this is 7 ft of clean, powerful swell. That's expert territory, no question. It is not for beginners, and intermediate surfers will be way out of their depth. The period is only 8 seconds, so it won't be a long-period groundswell. It's a powerful, short-period swell that will hit the bank hard. For the experienced crew, this is the day to be in the water. The crowds are listed as "sometimes," so you might have some company, but with waves this size, the lineup will thin out.

The Last Week
After that big day, it drops back off. Sunday, August 9th, has a morning glass-off with a 3 ft SSE swell, which is worth a look for a clean, smaller session. The combined energy there is 208 (moderate). The week after the 13th looks like small, weak surf again, with the wind swinging back to the north and north-west, creating clean but very small conditions.

So, to sum it up: the first two weeks are mostly a bust. If you're a strong, experienced surfer, circle Thursday, August 13th on your calendar for a wild, powerful session. For everyone else, the best bet for a clean, manageable wave is the morning of Sunday, August 9th. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because things can change, but right now, that's the truth.

Rusty.

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