Dunes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Looks like we’ve got a bit of a slow start before things start to pulse at Dunes. The first few days are pretty average, but there’s some real magic shaping up mid-next week if you can wait it out.

The water temp is sitting at 77°, which is about 1° warmer than usual for this time of year – nothing radical, just a touch of extra warmth in the water.

Alright, let’s get into it. There’s no real surf worth paddling out for on Saturday the 4th or Sunday the 5th. Sunday morning though, there’s a tiny 2ft SW swell with super light glassy conditions and offshore SE breeze at 3 mph – that’s a sneak peek of clean conditions but the size is too small to get excited about. Still, a fun little session for a log if you’re keen.

Monday the 6th is a write-off, and Tuesday the 7th stays marginal with the swell bumping up to 5ft SW (15s period), but the wind is messy and cross-off. That 15-second period suggests long lines, but the direction and wind aren’t cooperating properly.

Now, here’s the standout – Wednesday the 8th. Dunes is a consistent reef (exposed to SW) and the optimum swell direction is SW, so this lines up perfectly. Morning session sees 4ft WSW swell (15s period) with clean offshore SE wind at 12 mph. The combined energy is moderate (713) and the conditions are set for very good surf. This is your session. Clean, consistent lines, and the offshore wind will have them peeling nicely. The swell is moderate in size, so it’s suitable for intermediates and above. Crowds are possible here sometimes, so get in early.

Thursday the 9th morning steps it up even more – 5ft SW swell with a very long 16-second period and offshore SSE wind at 9 mph. The energy jumps to strong (1065) and the forecast calls for excellent surf for experienced surfers. That long period groundswell will be running fast and powerful, best handled by those who know what they’re doing. This is the other standout, but note that a long period like this can make beach breaks break a bit straight – Dunes being a reef means it should handle it beautifully.

Friday the 10th morning is still good with 5ft WSW swell and offshore SE wind at 16 mph, moderate-to-strong energy (783), but the quality drops a notch from Thursday.

After that, things go quiet again from Saturday the 11th through to Tuesday the 15th – a solid gap of poor to marginal conditions with small swell and strong winds. The wind cranks up to 25 mph at times, making it more of a kite-surfing window than a paddle session.

Wednesday the 16th morning brings back 3ft WSW swell with a 16-second period, but the wind is cross-off and it’s only marginal. Not worth setting the alarm for.

Then there’s a nice little run from Friday the 17th through Sunday the 19th. Friday the 17th morning sees 3ft WSW swell with offshore SE wind at 9 mph and clean conditions, and Friday afternoon goes glassy with NW wind at 3 mph and the same swell – that’s a gorgeous afternoon window for clean small waves. Saturday the 18th morning has 2ft with offshore SE wind, again clean but tiny. Sunday the 19th morning bumps up to 4ft WSW swell with cross-off ESE wind – still rideable but not a standout.

So to wrap it up: Wednesday the 8th and Thursday the 9th mornings are your best bets. Clean offshore winds, solid SW/WSW groundswell with good period, and Dunes handling it like a champ. After that, it’s mostly small and blown out until the very end, but those two days are absolute gems.

Rusty.

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