Spanish Bay-Dunes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Spanish Bay-Dunes. We’ve got a bit of a slow start for the first few days. The surf is small, and when there IS a wave, the wind’s coming from the wrong direction – mostly cross or cross-onshore, so it’s a bit messy. We do have some cleaner windows later in the run, but for now, you’re not missing much. The water temperature is sitting about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

Tuesday the 4th of August, we’ve got a 4ft swell from the WNW, period of 9 seconds, with combined energy of 398 (moderate). But the cross-shore wind from the SW at 6 mph has it looking a bit bumpy, and the tide’s messing with it too. Not the one. Wednesday the 5th and Thursday the 6th are even smaller and choppier. Honestly, through to the end of the first week, the conditions are just poor. We see a few spikes in energy, like Friday the 7th with a long-period 19-second swell from the SSW giving 273 (moderate), but the swell height is tiny at 1ft to 2ft. A groundswell that long needs a proper bank or a point, and with those wee waves, it’s a non-starter.

Now, here’s where things start to get interesting. From Sunday the 9th of August, we see a solid jump. The morning shows a 5ft swell from the NW, period 9 seconds, and energy ramps up to 639 (moderate to strong). The wind is offshore from the NW at 9 mph, so that’s clean. But the score is zero – the data says poor conditions. The afternoon is similar. Monday the 10th, the swell builds to 6ft from the NW, energy 694, but the wind turns cross-on from the WNW. Marginal.

The real standout window is Tuesday the 11th of August. Morning surf sees a 6ft swell from the NW, period 9 seconds, and combined energy hits 776 (strong). Wind is light cross-on from the W at 6 mph, which is still workable, but that's a lot of water moving. This is the biggest, most energetic swell of the whole run. For the experts among us, this is the one to circle. It’s big, so it’s not for beginners – over 5ft gets a bit heavy for learners. But for advanced crew, that’s a proper session if the banks hold. The wind isn’t perfect offshore, but it’s light, so it won’t be a complete mess. Wednesday the 12th holds at 7ft from the WNW, energy 812, but same cross-on story. After that, the swell slowly drops back through the rest of the week, getting smaller and more cross-on.

Into the second week, we’ve got a few pulses of long-period SSW swell around the 15th to 17th of August, with periods of 15 to 16 seconds. Swell heights stay around 3ft to 3ft, but the energy is surprisingly high – 813 on the 15th morning, for example. That’s a lot of power for such small waves, which means it’ll be tricky, fat, and hard to generate speed on a beach break. Those long-period swells work better on a point or reef. With the wind offshore or light cross-on, it could be fun if you’re on the right bank, but it’s a gamble. The 18th and 19th drop off further.

So, the pick of the entire forecast: the morning of Tuesday the 11th of August. That’s the best combination of size, energy, and reasonable wind at Spanish Bay-Dunes. It’s a consistent spot, so there’s almost always something, but the crowds can be a factor here – ‘sometimes’ means you might have company if it’s pumping. Not the cleanest wave of the year, but it’s the best on offer.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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