Dumps Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’ve got a solid run of surf coming up at Dumps, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The first few days are looking okay, but the real standout is a short window of clean, well-shaped waves that’ll have you grinning.

The first decent surf hits Wednesday, August 26th. It’s a 4ft swell from the WSW, with a period of 13 seconds, so there’s some good energy in the water (combined energy of 770). The wind is a light offshore breeze, so the waves will be clean with that bit of extra push. Water temp is sitting at 57°, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year, so you’ll want a thicker suit. The sandbar setup at Dumps is inconsistent, so you’ll need to be patient and pick your spots, but when it’s on, it’s worth the wait. The wind stays light and clean through Wednesday afternoon too.

Thursday, August 27th gets a bit messier. Swell bumps up to 5ft from the S, but the wind goes cross-on, so expect some lumpiness. It’s a bit of a washout.

Friday, August 28th is where it gets interesting. The morning is pure magic: 3ft of WSW groundswell with a super-long period of 16 seconds. The wind is dead glassy. That long period means the waves will be lined up, with more shape and power than the size suggests. Combined energy is still moderate (680), but the quality will be there. This is a real treat for a point break or reef setup, but at a sandbar, it might break a bit straight. Still, early morning glass-off is a winner.

Saturday, August 29th and Sunday, August 30th see the swell building. Saturday is 5ft with cross-on wind – not great. Sunday, the 30th, we get a solid 7ft from the SW, with a cross-off breeze and a clean surface. The energy jumps up to 1648, so there’s some real push. That’s getting into the intermediate-to-strong territory, so it’s going to be more powerful and a bit more for the experienced crew. The wind is clean, but the size might be a handful for beginners.

Monday, August 31st drops back to 6ft, and the wind is light and cross-off, so it’s a good option for a clean session before the big stuff rolls in.

Now, Tuesday, September 1st we see a massive jump in size. The swell hits 10ft in the morning, but the wind is fresh and cross-on, making it lumpy and messy. By the afternoon, it’s 15ft from the SW – that’s big, powerful, and way too big for this break. The combined energy is 6988, which is strong. This is expert-only, and even then, the cross-on wind will make it a battle. The same goes for Wednesday, September 2nd (12ft) and Saturday, September 5th (20ft) – all huge, all with bad wind. For the first week of September, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, honestly.

Friday, September 4th is a dud – tiny, rainy, and messy.

We get a brief reprieve on Monday, September 7th. The swell drops to 3ft with a 13-second period, and the morning is glassy again. It’s small, but clean and fun for a longboard or a groveler. Combined energy is low (370), so it’s a cruisy session.

After that, from Tuesday, September 8th through to Thursday, September 10th, it’s all small, weak, and mostly blown out. The energy drops to 120-166, and the wind is either onshore or cross-on, so it’s not worth paddling out.

Best on offer: The standout is Friday, August 28th – that 3ft, 16-second period groundswell with glassy conditions will be clean, lined up, and a joy to surf. The second best is Sunday, August 30th – bigger, clean, and powerful, but for the more experienced.

Stay sharp, and don’t sleep on that Friday glass-off.

Rusty.

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