Dunes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s shaping up at Dunes. This is a consistent reef setup, exposed to the south-west, so when the groundswell rolls in, it cleans up nicely with that south-easterly offshore. The water temp is sitting around 76°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so the wetsuit can stay thin.

The forecast kicks off with some clean, fun surf on Monday morning, August 24th. Swell is a modest 3ft from the WSW, with a long 16-second period, giving it some proper push. The SE breeze is blowing 12 mph straight offshore, making for glassy conditions. Combined wave energy is moderate, sitting at 652. It won’t be giant, but for a Monday morning lap, it’ll be a joy.

Monday afternoon sees the wind shift to the WSW, turning it cross-shore and choppy – best to avoid that session. Tuesday morning, August 25th, is back on with the SE offshore wind and a 4ft SW swell at 13 seconds. The numbers are solid but not standout. Wednesday morning, August 26th, is looking clean too with a light SSW breeze and a consistent 3ft SW groundswell, though nothing that will blow your mind.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Thursday morning, August 27th, we see a jump in size. The swell is 6ft from the WSW with a 17-second period – that’s proper groundswell. Combined wave energy is pumping at 1947, which is strong. The wind is a fresh SSE cross-off, keeping it clean. This is one for experienced surfers though; over 5ft on a reef demands respect. The size and power make this a standout window for those who can handle it.

Friday afternoon, August 28th, is a sneaky good call. The swell drops a touch to 5ft from the SW, but the wind swings south at 9 mph, giving us a clean cross-off. The energy is still moderate at 746, but the conditions will be very good.

There’s a gap after Friday with a few days of choppy or onshore winds until we get to a true highlight. On Tuesday morning, September 1st, you’ll want to be in the water. The wind is dead calm, glassy, zero. That’s rare. Swell is a solid 5ft from the WSW with a 16-second period. Combined energy is strong at 1122. The forecast calls this excellent for experienced surfers – and I wouldn’t argue. That glassy morning with a long-period groundswell lining up off the reef is the best on offer in this whole outlook.

Thursday morning, September 3rd, bumps up to 7ft from the WSW – big for Dunes. The wind is S at 12 mph, cross-off, so it will be clean, but this is pushing expert territory at over 8ft for the strongest sets. Worth a look if you’ve got the nerve, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.

After that, the swell fades and the wind turns messy. Pretty quiet from the 5th of September onward, with poor conditions or small, crummy swell. There’s a bit of marginal stuff in the second week, but nothing to get out of bed for.

Bottom line: The standout is Tuesday morning, September 1st, for that glassy, clean, solid groundswell. If you can get out Thursday the 27th of August, the size and power will get the heart pumping. The rest is mainly for keeping your eye in or dodging the crowds on a clean morning.

Stay stoked,
Rusty.

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