Dipper › Co. Donegal

Lady's Bay, Buncrana

Sufficient Quality 2025 faces WNW

🌊 Dip🏄 Surf
Any tidePrefer highPrefer low
Surf score now
5
Grim · flat
Waves
0.1 m
1 s period from SW · model cell 1.7 km out
Sea
14.9°
Fresh. M2 buoy, Irish Sea east of Dublin, 226 km away.
Tide
3.4 m
Falling. Low at 04:50.
Wind
14 km/h
Gentle breeze, WSW, onshore, gusts 24
Daylight
07:35
Sunrise. Sunset 19:02. Air 10°C.

Best surf each day

Daylight hours, preferring high tide
Today
08:00
Grim 5/100
flat · 0.0 m · 12 km/h
▼ 04:50 ▲ 11:20 ▼ 17:55
Sun, 4 Oct
08:00
Grim 5/100
flat · 0.1 m · 23 km/h
▲ 00:35 ▼ 06:05 ▲ 13:20 ▼ 20:00
Mon, 5 Oct
08:00
Grim 5/100
flat · 0.1 m · 20 km/h
▲ 02:20 ▼ 08:00 ▲ 15:00 ▼ 21:40
Tue, 6 Oct
10:00
Grim 5/100
flat · 0.0 m · 9 km/h
▲ 03:35 ▼ 09:25 ▲ 16:05 ▼ 22:35
Wed, 7 Oct
10:00
Grim 5/100
flat · 0.0 m · 9 km/h
▲ 04:40 ▼ 10:25 ▲ 16:55 ▼ 23:15
Thu, 8 Oct
13:00
Grim 0/100
no wave data here · 9 km/h
▲ 05:20 ▼ 11:10 ▲ 17:40 ▼ 23:55
Fri, 9 Oct
13:00
Grim 0/100
no wave data here · 22 km/h
▲ 05:55 ▼ 11:45 ▲ 18:05

Week at a glance

Tap or drag to pick an hour. Everything below follows.
Sat 00:005 · Grimflat
Sat 3Sun 4Mon 5Tue 6Wed 7Thu 8Fri 90003060912151821Sat 00:00 · 5 Grim · nightSat 01:00 · 5 Grim · nightSat 02:00 · 5 Grim · nightSat 03:00 · 5 Grim · nightSat 04:00 · 5 Grim · nightSat 05:00 · 5 Grim · nightSat 06:00 · 5 Grim · nightSat 07:00 · 5 Grim · nightSat 08:00 · 5 GrimSat 09:00 · 5 GrimSat 10:00 · 5 GrimSat 11:00 · 5 GrimSat 12:00 · 5 GrimSat 13:00 · 5 GrimSat 14:00 · 5 GrimSat 15:00 · 5 GrimSat 16:00 · 5 GrimSat 17:00 · 5 GrimSat 18:00 · 5 GrimSat 19:00 · 5 GrimSat 20:00 · 5 Grim · nightSat 21:00 · 5 Grim · nightSat 22:00 · 5 Grim · nightSat 23:00 · 5 Grim · nightSun 00:00 · 5 Grim · nightSun 01:00 · 5 Grim · nightSun 02:00 · 5 Grim · nightSun 03:00 · 5 Grim · nightSun 04:00 · 5 Grim · nightSun 05:00 · 5 Grim · nightSun 06:00 · 5 Grim · nightSun 07:00 · 5 Grim · nightSun 08:00 · 5 GrimSun 09:00 · 5 GrimSun 10:00 · 5 GrimSun 11:00 · 5 GrimSun 12:00 · 5 GrimSun 13:00 · 5 GrimSun 14:00 · 5 GrimSun 15:00 · 5 GrimSun 16:00 · 5 GrimSun 17:00 · 5 GrimSun 18:00 · 5 GrimSun 19:00 · 5 GrimSun 20:00 · 5 Grim · nightSun 21:00 · 5 Grim · nightSun 22:00 · 5 Grim · nightSun 23:00 · 5 Grim · nightMon 00:00 · 5 Grim · nightMon 01:00 · 5 Grim · nightMon 02:00 · 5 Grim · nightMon 03:00 · 5 Grim · nightMon 04:00 · 5 Grim · nightMon 05:00 · 5 Grim · nightMon 06:00 · 5 Grim · nightMon 07:00 · 5 Grim · nightMon 08:00 · 5 GrimMon 09:00 · 5 GrimMon 10:00 · 5 GrimMon 11:00 · 5 GrimMon 12:00 · 5 GrimMon 13:00 · 5 GrimMon 14:00 · 5 GrimMon 15:00 · 5 GrimMon 16:00 · 5 GrimMon 17:00 · 5 GrimMon 18:00 · 5 GrimMon 19:00 · 5 GrimMon 22:00 · 5 Grim · nightTue 01:00 · 5 Grim · nightTue 04:00 · 5 Grim · nightTue 07:00 · 5 Grim · nightTue 10:00 · 5 GrimTue 13:00 · 5 GrimTue 16:00 · 5 GrimTue 19:00 · 5 GrimTue 22:00 · 5 Grim · nightWed 01:00 · 5 Grim · nightWed 04:00 · 5 Grim · nightWed 07:00 · 5 Grim · nightWed 10:00 · 5 GrimWed 13:00 · 5 GrimWed 16:00 · 5 GrimWed 19:00 · 5 GrimWed 22:00 · 5 Grim · nightThu 01:00 · 5 Grim · nightThu 07:00 · 0 Grim · nightThu 13:00 · 0 GrimThu 19:00 · 0 GrimFri 01:00 · 0 Grim · nightFri 07:00 · 0 Grim · nightFri 13:00 · 0 GrimFri 19:00 · 0 Grim

Sat, 3 Oct, 00:00

5 Grim
  • flat
  • onshore wind
NESWsunrisesunset0.1 m14 km/h
faces 288° WNW · wind onshore
Waves
0.1 m @ 1 s from SW
Wind
14 km/h WSW · gusts 24
Tide
3.4 m · high
Air
10°C · dry

Meteogram

Score, waves, wind (green offshore, amber cross, red onshore), rain and air, tide

Hour by hour

Next 48 hours
TimeSurfWavesPeriodFromWindGustTideRainAirWhy
Today
00:005 Grim0.1 m1 sSW14 km/h WSW243.4 m ▲dry10°flat
01:005 Grim0.1 m1 sSW13 km/h SW213.1 m dry9°flat
02:005 Grim0.1 m1 sSW14 km/h SW182.6 m dry9°flat
03:005 Grim0.1 m1 sSW15 km/h S172.0 m dry9°flat
04:005 Grim0.1 m1 sSW13 km/h SSW151.6 m ▼dry9°flat
05:005 Grim0.1 m1 sSW13 km/h SSW151.4 m ▼dry9°flat
06:005 Grim0.0 m1 sSW15 km/h S161.5 m ▼dry9°flat
07:005 Grim0.0 m1 sSW16 km/h S161.9 m dry9°flat
08:005 Grim0.0 m1 sSW12 km/h SSE162.3 m dry9°flat
09:005 Grim0.0 m1 sSW12 km/h SSE172.8 m dry9°flat
10:005 Grim0.0 m–SW15 km/h S193.2 m dry10°flat
11:005 Grim0.0 m–SW17 km/h S213.4 m ▲dry11°flat
12:005 Grim0.1 m–SW14 km/h S243.4 m ▲dry11°flat
13:005 Grim0.1 m–SW10 km/h WSW243.3 m dry13°flat
14:005 Grim0.1 m1 sSW12 km/h SW253.0 m dry14°flat
15:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW11 km/h SW262.5 m dry15°flat
16:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW14 km/h SW272.0 m dry15°flat
17:005 Grim0.1 m1 sSW14 km/h SSW271.7 m ▼dry14°flat
18:005 Grim0.1 m1 sSW13 km/h S241.6 m ▼dry14°flat
19:005 Grim0.0 m1 sSW12 km/h SSE201.6 m ▼dry13°flat
20:005 Grim0.0 m1 sSW18 km/h SSE221.9 m dry12°flat
21:005 Grim0.0 m–SSW20 km/h S262.2 m dry12°flat
22:005 Grim0.1 m–SSW19 km/h S282.6 m dry12°flat
23:005 Grim0.1 m1 sSW20 km/h S302.9 m dry11°flat
Sunday, 4 October
00:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW19 km/h S323.1 m ▲dry11°flat
01:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW21 km/h S353.1 m ▲dry11°flat
02:005 Grim0.2 m2 sSW26 km/h S363.0 m dry11°flat
03:005 Grim0.2 m2 sSW29 km/h S372.6 m dry11°flat
04:005 Grim0.2 m2 sSW26 km/h S372.2 m dry11°flat
05:005 Grim0.2 m2 sSW23 km/h S361.8 m dry11°flat
06:005 Grim0.2 m2 sSW22 km/h S351.6 m ▼dry11°flat
07:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW20 km/h S341.7 m ▼dry12°flat
08:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW23 km/h S331.9 m dry12°flat
09:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW22 km/h S342.2 m dry13°flat
10:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW24 km/h S352.5 m 0.1 mm14°flat
11:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW22 km/h S352.9 m 0.1 mm14°flat
12:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW22 km/h S353.2 m ▲0.1 mm15°flat
13:005 Grim0.2 m2 sSW22 km/h SSW363.3 m ▲0.1 mm15°flat
14:005 Grim0.2 m2 sSW22 km/h SSW373.3 m ▲0.1 mm16°flat
15:005 Grim0.2 m2 sSW24 km/h SSW383.1 m 0.1 mm16°flat
16:005 Grim0.2 m2 sSW24 km/h SW392.8 m 0.1 mm16°flat
17:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW25 km/h SW392.4 m 0.1 mm16°flat
18:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW20 km/h SSW382.0 m 0.1 mm16°flat
19:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW17 km/h SSW371.7 m ▼dry16°flat
20:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW19 km/h SW421.6 m ▼dry15°flat
21:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW19 km/h SW421.7 m ▼dry15°flat
22:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW19 km/h SW421.9 m 0.1 mm15°flat
23:005 Grim0.1 m2 sSW19 km/h SW422.2 m 0.1 mm15°flat

Where the energy comes from

Wave energy (H²·T) this week by direction, against the swell window

Swell arriving between W and WNW reaches this spot; anything else is blocked by land and counts for much less.

Tide today

Buncrana, 1 km away · metres above chart datum
04:5011:2017:55
Low 04:50 · 1.4 mHigh 11:20 · 3.4 mLow 17:55 · 1.6 m

The spot

Faces
288° WNW
Swell window
W 280° → WNW 290°
Exposure
Sheltered · model cell 1.7 km out
Water
Sufficient Quality

Facing and swell window are derived from the wave model's coastline around the spot, not surveyed. Know better? Tell us.

Water quality

Recent grades: 2024 Poor, 2023 Poor, 2022 Poor. The EPA flags a short-term pollution risk here after heavy rain.

Beach profile (PDF) · beaches.ie

On the ground

No lifeguard listedToiletsParkingYesAccessible: YesDogs on lead

As listed by Donegal County Council. Open in Maps.

Sauna after?

The Swilly Sauna · Main Beach car park, Rathmullan · 6 km · mobile

The Hot Barrel Sauna · Portsalon Pier (also Kerrykeel Pier) · 13 km · mobile

The Sea View Sauna (Culdaff) · Culdaff Beach car park · 26 km · fixed

itSaunatrailer · The Wee Beach, Marble Hill, Dunfanaghy · 28 km · fixed

Lady's Bay beach consists of a sandy beach in Lough Swilly confined by Buncrana pier to the South and a small rocky outcrop 550m to the North. It is one of a series of beaches along the West of Inishowen. Lady's Bay beach supports a number of different plant and wildlife species. Important wildlife species include otters and Mallard, while important plant species include Lady's fern and wood sage. Lady's Bay beach is part of The Lough Swilly SAC which is of conservation importance and contains good examples of at least four habitats listed on Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive. Activities at Lady's Bay beach include swimming, boating, power boating, jet skiing and other land-based activities on the beach. The designated bathing area is approx. 0.02633 km2 and the extent along the water is approximately 550m. There is a medium gradient off Lady's Bay Beach continuing out at a medium slope before beginning to get gradually deeper until it reaches the channel.

Put Lady's Bay, Buncrana in your calendar

Dipper Plus drops the best surf hour here into your phone every day, with waves, sea temperature, tide and a 45-minute nudge. Up to three spots.

Set up Dipper Plus
🏄 Lady's Bay, Buncrana surf · Grim · sea 15° · 0.0 mSat, 3 Oct 07:30–08:30 · flat
🏄 Lady's Bay, Buncrana surf · Grim · sea 15° · 0.1 mSun, 4 Oct 07:30–08:30 · flat
🏄 Lady's Bay, Buncrana surf · Grim · sea 15° · 0.1 mMon, 5 Oct 07:30–08:30 · flat

Nearby spots

Lisfannon

4 km · Co. Donegal · Good Quality

Rathmullan

6 km · Co. Donegal · Good Quality

Lough Doo

8 km · Co. Donegal · Not classified

Gort Lough

8 km · Co. Donegal · Not classified

Score is Dipper's own blend. It rates comfort, not safety. Forecast: Met Éireann. Waves: Marine Institute Irish Shelf wave model.