Dunes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the next few weeks. It's a mixed bag at Dunes, but there's a couple of sessions that are gonna make it all worth it.

The overall pattern is a long, drawn-out run of small, marginal surf with a fair bit of wind to deal with. For the first week and a half, it's a real scrappy affair. The water temp is sitting at 74°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We kick off on Thursday, September 3rd, with a 4ft SW swell, but it's a cross-shore mess with 19 mph winds. Forget it. Poor conditions. That carries on through Friday, even with a bit of a cleaner look on the Friday morning, the rating is still zero. Saturday the 5th is another write-off for the most part, though the morning has a clean 3ft SW swell with a 16 second period. It's a bit small, but at least the wind is offshore from the south. It's a "marginal" call, with a 2 out of 10, so it's one for the longboard or a quiet sit.

Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th are similar stories; clean mornings but the swell is just hovering around 3ft to 4ft, and the energy is still moderate (combined energy between 654 and 927). Not worth getting excited about. The real standout doesn't arrive until the second week, so there's a bit of a gap here.

Tuesday, September 8th, is more of the same, with a 4ft SW swell and a fresh offshore from the ESE. Clean, but small. The wind is a bit fickle, switching to a light cross-onshore in the afternoon. The following days up to the 11th are a blur of marginal conditions and poor quality, with the swell dropping to 3ft and the combined energy in the low 400s to 500s.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. A real standout is shaping up for the second week. On the 12th, Saturday morning, the wind is light from the SSE, giving us a cross-offshore breeze, and the swell is 3ft from the WSW. The conditions are rated as "expect very good surf conditions" with a 3/10. It's a clean, small-wave day, perfect for a fun session.

But the real prize is Sunday, September 13th. The morning brings a 6ft WSW swell with a 16-second period and a fresh offshore from the SSE. The combined energy is a massive 1605, and it's rated as "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers". The afternoon is even bigger, hitting 7ft with the same 16-second period, but the wind swings cross-shore from the SW. The rating there is an 11/10, but it's flagged as potentially too big for this break, meaning it's a serious, powerful wave. This is a heavy-duty groundswell, and the long period means it'll be wrapping around the reef at Dunes. This is the one to circle on the calendar. For the experienced crew, this is the best on offer.

After that, we get a drop back. Monday the 14th morning is still solid with a 6ft WSW swell and gentle offshore winds from the SE. It's a good session for the experienced, but it's not the peak. Tuesday the 15th morning is clean again with a 5ft SW swell, good for a solid session. The rest of the week into the 18th is a frustrating mix of moderate to fresh winds and declining swell, with the energy dropping back down to the 600 to 1200 range. The final few days are just marginal, with cross-onshore winds and poor conditions.

So, to sum it up: a long, slow grind for the first 10 days, then a standout weekend on the 12th and 13th. The 13th is the big one for the experts, with a serious 7ft groundswell. The 12th is the one for everyone else looking for clean, fun waves.

Rusty out.

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