Dunes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the outlook for the next couple of weeks.

To be honest, things are looking pretty flat and lackluster for the first week. The first record we have any surf on is Saturday the 25th, with a tiny 2ft swell from the WSW, but the wind is a messy cross-shore and the energy is weak (138). It’s not worth paddling out for. That sets the tone for the next few days – we’re looking at a long gap of poor to marginal conditions right through until the end of July. The swell is small, the wind is mostly cross or cross-off, and the wave energy, while it climbs a bit, just doesn’t make up for it. Tuesday the 28th shows a little more energy (253) but still with a 3ft swell and a cross-off wind that’s blowing a bit too hard. It’s a struggle.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The first real standout comes on the morning of Saturday, the 1st of August. Dunes is looking like the pick of the bunch. The swell is still modest at 3ft from the SW, but we’ve got a light offshore wind from the SE, which is going to groom those waves clean. The combined energy is up to a solid moderate level (502), and the wave comment says to expect very good surf conditions. The water temperature is 75° and the anomaly is only 0.5°, so it’s bang on average for this time of year – no surprise there. This is a reef break that’s consistent and exposed to the SW, which is its optimum direction. Crowds are a possibility here, so get there early if you can.

The next real highlight, and the absolute best of the whole forecast, is the afternoon of Sunday, the 9th of August. That’s the one you wait for. The swell jumps to 6ft from the WSW, and the wind goes glassy – dead calm. The water will be like a mirror. The combined energy is a massive 1525, which is strong to very strong wave energy. The wave comment specifically says it’s excellent surf for experienced surfers. That’s a clean, powerful, well-shaped groundswell with a period of 13 seconds, perfect for a reef break like Dunes. If you’re an expert, you do not want to miss that session. The morning of the 9th is also very good, with a 3ft swell and a light cross-off, but the afternoon is the king.

There’s a bit of a swell pulse in the first week of August, but it’s mostly marginal with onshore or cross winds. The morning of the 6th has a 5ft swell with a fresh offshore, but it’s still a marginal call. The real focus is on that Saturday the 1st morning and then that stunning Sunday the 9th afternoon.

So, the long story short: the first week is a write-off for anything decent. Hold out for the 1st of August for a good, clean session, and then make sure you’re free on the 9th of August for the real standout – that glassy, 6ft SW groundswell at Dunes is as good as it gets in this window.

Rusty.

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