Dunes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the stretch ahead at Dunes. It’s a reef break that loves a good SW groundswell, and there’s a solid run of waves coming our way, but we’ve got to pick our moments.

The water temperature is sitting at 75°, which is pretty much average for this time of year, so nothing weird going on there.

We start off Friday the 31st with a clean 3ft of SW swell, with a very long 16-second period, meaning proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is moderate (383). Morning is the call with light cross-offshore winds, so it’ll be glassy and fun. The afternoon goes a bit crumbly with cross-shore breeze, so stick to the early session.

Saturday the 1st of August is the first real standout. The morning is firing with 4ft of SW swell (16 seconds) and a solid SE offshore wind at 15 mph. The energy jumps up (659) and the waves will be clean and lined up. This is a great window for intermediate surfers. Afternoon gets messy with cross-shore wind, so again, dawn patrol wins.

Sunday the 2nd drops off a bit. The swell holds at 3ft, but the wind turns cross-offshore in the morning, making it a bit lumpy. The energy is still moderate (423), but it’s not as clean. Afternoon is a write-off with onshore wind and chop.

Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th are average. Clean enough in the mornings with cross-off winds, but the swell is only 3-4ft and the period drops to 13-14 seconds. The energy is moderate (563-426). Decent for a cruise, but nothing to write home about.

Now, Wednesday the 5th of August is the next big moment. The morning sees 5ft of SW swell with a 17-second period and a solid SSE offshore wind at 15 mph. The energy jumps to 1121 (strong wave energy). This is a powerful, clean morning. The waves will have serious push, but it’s still manageable for strong intermediates. Afternoon gets cross-shore and choppy, so the morning is the only window.

Thursday the 6th is similar. 5ft of SW swell (16 seconds) and strong energy (1158). The wind is cross-offshore in the morning, keeping it fairly clean. But the afternoon gets a fresh 22 mph cross-shore wind, turning it into a lumpy mess. That afternoon session is better suited for kites.

The weekend of the 8th-9th sees the swell building. Saturday the 8th has 5ft in the morning and 6ft in the afternoon, with strong energy (1205-1613). The wind is cross-offshore, so it’s clean but punchy. This is getting towards expert territory in the afternoon, especially for a reef. Sunday the 9th offers 5ft with a clean offshore wind in the morning – a good, powerful session.

The first week of the second week (Monday 10th, Tuesday 11th) is a drop-off. The swell drops to 3ft-4ft, with moderate energy. Clean enough in the mornings, but small.

Then we hit the big one. Wednesday the 12th of August. The morning brings a massive 7ft of SW swell with an 18-second period and an offshore wind. The energy is huge (2605). This is pure, heavy groundswell. The report says it’s too big for this break. This is for experts only. The reef will be handling a lot of water, and paddling out will be a mission. The afternoon is similar at 8ft, but with a cross-shore wind. This is a “watch from the rocks” or “send it if you’re a chargé” kind of day.

Thursday the 13th is still oversized at 7-7ft, with a cross-offshore wind. Still only for the hardcore crew. Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th drop back to 5-6ft, which is more manageable, with clean conditions in the mornings. The energy is still strong (1045-1631), so there will be plenty of push.

The standout of the whole window is clearly the morning of Wednesday the 5th of August. It’s the first big, clean, powerful swell with perfect wind. After that, the morning of Saturday the 1st is a close second for a cleaner, more user-friendly wave. The mid-month swell is for the brave.

Rusty, signing off.

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