Dunes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve only got one spot on the radar for this outlook, so let’s get into it.

The pattern starts off pretty sleepy, but we’ve got a solid run of surf building through the first week and into the second. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing to worry about on that front.

Tuesday 28 July kicks things off with a bit of hope. The morning session at Dunes (SW) is showing a clean 3ft of swell, coming from the SW with a nice 13-second period. The cross-off wind from the E at 15 km/h is keeping things tidy. The combined energy is moderate (253), so there’s a little push there. The afternoon gets a bit cross-chop, so the morning is the move.

Wednesday 29 July is a write-off – the wind picks up to 25 km/h, and while the swell hangs around 3ft, the conditions are just messy. Skip it.

Thursday 30 July is marginal. The morning is clean with 3ft at 17 seconds – that’s a long period groundswell, which Dunes, being a reef break, should handle well. The energy is moderate (362). The wind is cross-off, so it’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Now, Friday 31 July is the standout of the first week. The afternoon session is an absolute gem. We’ve got 2ft of swell from the SW, but paired with a 18-second period and glassy conditions, that’s some proper long-period groundswell. The wind is NE at 5 km/h, which is basically nothing. The energy is a very healthy 503. This is the kind of afternoon where you paddle out and feel like you’ve got the ocean to yourself. Crowds are possible at Dunes, so get in early.

Saturday 1 August morning is another winner. The swell jumps to 4ft, still from the SW, with a 17-second period. The wind is offshore from the SE at 15 km/h, giving us clean, lined-up waves. The energy is strong (708). This is a serious session for intermediate surfers. The afternoon turns onshore, so the morning is the call.

Sunday 2 August and Monday 3 August are a mixed bag. The swell stays around 3ft, but the winds are a bit inconsistent. The best of these is Monday afternoon, with clean conditions and 3ft from the SW, energy at 458. It’s decent, but nothing special.

Tuesday 4 August afternoon is a treat – glassy conditions with the wind swinging to SSW at 0 km/h. The swell is 3ft at 14 seconds, and the energy is moderate (349). It’s a clean, cruisy session.

Wednesday 5 August is the big one. Both morning and afternoon are top-tier. We’ve got 4ft of swell from the SW, 16-second period, and the energy is strong (576). The morning has a light cross-off, and the afternoon is dead flat calm. This is the best day of the whole forecast. The waves will be clean, long, and powerful. If you can only paddle out one day, this is it.

Thursday 6 August morning is still good with 3ft and offshore winds, but the afternoon gets a bit lumpy. The weekend of 7-8 August sees the swell build to 5ft and then 6ft, but the winds turn onshore and choppy. This is getting into expert territory, and the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday 9 August is cleaner with solid 5-6ft swell and offshore winds, but the energy is very strong (1096-1436). For experienced surfers only.

Monday 10 August morning has a nice drop back to 4ft with offshore winds and clean conditions. A good option for the intermediate crew.

The final days, 11 August, see the swell dropping back to 3ft, and the run of good surf is over. Overall, the week of 28 July to 5 August has the best windows, with Wednesday 5 August being the absolute standout.

Rusty.

Read more