Dunes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks.

The opening days are a bit average but there’s some real promise building up, especially if you’re an experienced surfer. The standout window is definitely kicking in on Thursday the 27th of August with some serious energy, and it rolls right through the start of September with a few clean windows. The first week is mostly about picking the right morning session to avoid the afternoon wind junking things up.

Right off the bat, our spot is Dunes, a reliable reef setup. The water temp is sitting at 75°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you might be able to lose the thick rubber for a bit.

Thursday morning the 20th is actually a decent opener. We’ve got a clean 4ft swell coming from the WSW with a 14-second period, and a light offshore SE breeze at 6 mph. The wave energy is solid at 1020, so it’s got some punch. This is excellent for experienced surfers, so if you’ve got the skills, this is a good chance to slide into some clean lines before the crowds show up – and yeah, crowds are possible here sometimes.

Friday the 21st is a write-off. The morning has a moderate cross-off breeze that’s okay, but after that, the afternoon is a cross-on mess. Saturday the 22nd morning is worth a look if you’re keen: a clean 4ft SW swell at 14 seconds, light cross-off wind, and the energy is moderate at 594. It’s not huge, but it’ll be fun. The afternoon though, forget it – the wind swings on and chops it up.

Sunday the 23rd morning is just marginal, and the rest of that day and Monday the 24th are a mix of okay mornings and poor afternoons. Monday morning the 24th has a clean 3ft WSW swell with a long 16-second period and a solid offshore breeze. That groundswell will wrap in nicely at Dunes, but the sets will be a bit spread out. The combined energy is 624, so there’s decent grunt.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Thursday morning the 27th of August is a real standout. We’ve got a 6ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period, and a fresh offshore SSE breeze at 19 mph. The combined swell energy jumps right up to 1714, which is strong. This is serious, powerful surf. At that size and with that energy, this is only for experts. The offshore wind will have it glassing up, so expect some beautiful, heavy walls. Get on it early before the afternoon cross-shore messes with it.

The following week stays active. Monday the 31st of August morning is another cracker. A 7ft WSW groundswell with a very long 18-second period, offshore SSE wind at 16 mph, and the energy is through the roof at 2363. This is a big, powerful, clean groundswell. Again, that’s expert territory size-wise. The long period means it’ll be holding up well at a reef like Dunes, with longer lulls between sets making it easier to get out the back.

Wednesday the 2nd of September morning offers a smaller but still clean session: 5ft WSW swell at 14 seconds, gentle offshore SSE wind at 9 mph, and moderate energy at 996. This is a very good option for those who found the earlier stuff too heavy.

After that, from the 3rd of September onwards, it starts to fade. The swells drop into the 4ft range with moderate to fresh winds, making things marginal. The energy levels drop back to the 500-800 range. It’s not a total flat spell, but the quality takes a definite step down from that killer run at the end of August and start of September.

So, to cut to the chase: if you’re an expert, circle Thursday the 27th of August morning and Monday the 31st of August morning on your calendar. For the intermediate crew, Thursday the 20th and Wednesday the 2nd of September mornings are your best bets.

Rusty.

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