Dunes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty comin' at you from the beach. Let's get into it.

We’ve got a long window ahead, and honestly, it’s a bit of a slow burner. The real standouts are tucked into the middle of the run, so don’t expect fireworks right out of the gate. The first few days offer small, clean surf that’s more about fun than power, but then things really ramp up.

We start off Friday morning, August 14th, at Dunes. It’s a reef break, consistent and exposed to the SW. The water temp is sitting at 74°, which is pretty much dead average for this time of year – no surprises there. Friday morning sees a 3ft SW swell, with a long 17-second period, and a light S breeze making it cross-off. The combined energy is moderate at 493, and it’s clean. It’s a good, easy start.

Saturday morning, August 15th, is the first little highlight. The swell holds at 3ft from the SW, still that long 16-second period, and the wind goes totally glassy – zero breeze. The energy is moderate (468), and the surf is clean as a whistle. This is the kind of morning you want to be out there for a quiet paddle.

Sunday morning, August 16th, follows a similar vibe: 3ft SW swell, 14-second period, glassy conditions with a light SE air. Combined energy is 330. It’s clean and fun.

Now, Monday afternoon, August 17th, is where it starts to get interesting. The swell pushes to 5ft from the SW, period dropping slightly to 16 seconds, but the wind swings SW and goes cross-off. The combined energy jumps to a strong 1037. The report says it’s excellent for experienced surfers. This is a proper session.

The absolute standout of this entire forecast is Tuesday morning, August 18th. Swell is up to 6ft from the WSW, with a 17-second period. The wind is SSE cross-off, keeping it clean. The combined energy is a very strong 1570. This is the pick of the whole run. It has power, length, and shape.

Wednesday morning, August 19th, the swell peaks at 7ft from the WSW, with a 16-second period. That’s a big one – only for experienced surfers. Wind is SSE at 16 mph, cross-off, so it’s clean. But at this size, the break might be pushing its limits.

Thursday morning, August 20th, sees the swell back to a more manageable 5ft from the SW, with a 15-second period. The wind goes offshore from the SSE at 16 mph, making for moderate offshore and clean conditions. Combined energy is 1045. Another very good session for the crew who know what they’re doing.

After that, things slowly wind down. Friday, August 21st, through to the end of the run, the swell drops back to 3ft to 4ft, with a lot of afternoons turning choppy with cross-on or cross-shore winds. The mornings generally stay cleaner, but the energy drops off significantly.

The biggest gap in quality surf is actually in the first few days before Monday afternoon, but there’s still fun, small waves to be had. The real blank spot for anything with power is from Thursday afternoon, August 28th, onward, where the combo of dropping swell and stronger afternoon winds leaves the mornings as the only real window, and even then, it’s marginal at best.

For my money, the best session on offer is Tuesday morning, August 18th. That 6ft WSW swell with clean winds and strong energy is the one to circle on the calendar.

This is Rusty, signing off.

Read more