Bunkers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for this stretch.

Right off the bat, the first few days are a bit of a mixed bag, nothing to get too excited about. We’ve got some moderate wave energy coming through, but the wind and conditions just aren’t lining up for a clean session until we get past the first week.

Looking at Bunkers, the first real chance to paddle out with a smile is on Thursday afternoon, September 3rd. There’s some decent size, around 7ft from the NW, with solid energy (1678) behind it, but the wind is cross-on and the report says it’s marginal. Honestly, it’s one of those days where you might get a couple of OK ones, but the tide and a light bump on the surface will keep it from being anything special.

Friday the 4th is pretty similar—size holding around 7ft, but the wind stays cross-ish. Not terrible, but not clean. The water temp is about 57°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, nothing wild going on there.

Now, we hit a bit of a lull from the 5th into the 6th and 7th. Swell drops right down under 3ft, and while the wind is light, the energy is weak (under 1000). The wave comment is poor or marginal most of these days. Saturday morning the 5th does have a tiny bit of clean offshore wind, but the swell is too small and short to even bother with. This stretch is a write-off for decent surf.

Things start to look a bit better around Thursday the 10th. The swell period jumps up to 17 seconds, which is a proper groundswell, but it’s small—under 3ft—and the wind is onshore. The energy is moderate (935, 971), but it’s not the day to call in sick for.

The real standout comes on Friday morning, September 11th. That morning at Bunkers, the wind goes glassy—dead calm, offshores from the NNW—and the swell picks up to 6ft from the NW. The period is short, only 8 seconds, but with that clean surface and moderate energy (980), it’s going to be clean, fun, and a good size for most intermediate surfers. The crowds are possible here, but with conditions that clean and swell that size, it’s worth the company. The water temp anomaly is normal, so just wear your usual rubber.

Saturday morning the 12th is similar: glassy again, 5ft from the NW with a longer 11-second period. The energy is strong (901), and this is another morning where you’ll want the early slot. The wind stays light and clean. This is the second standout in the window.

After that, from the 13th onwards, things taper off. The swell stays around 4ft to 6ft but the wind is mostly cross-on or light onshore, and the energy drops below 1000. The period gets short again, and by the 15th and 16th it’s looking pretty poor for a paddle. The swell direction swings to WNW by the end of the second week, but the wind stays messy. Not much to chase there.

The crowds at Bunkers can be a factor, especially on those glassy mornings, but for the quality on offer, it’s worth it.

So short story: Friday September 11th morning and Saturday September 12th morning are your best bets. Glassy conditions, solid waist-to-chest high swell from the NW, and enough energy to make it worthwhile. Everything else in between is either too small, too bumpy, or just plain marginal.

Rusty.

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