Bunkers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks at Bunkers. It’s a bit of a slow start, so don’t be in a rush to grab your board just yet.

The first few days are looking pretty flat and messy. The water is sitting at 53°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a decent wetsuit if you’re even thinking about paddling out. We’ve got a fair bit of chop from the north and cross-on winds making things uninviting, with weak swell energy (around 494) and poor surf conditions. Honestly, nothing worth chasing until we get further into the period.

We’ll see a slight uptick around Friday the 17th with some marginal surf, but it’s still small – around 3ft to 3ft from the WNW with a long period (17 seconds). That long period could give it a bit of shape, but the cross-on wind and weak to moderate energy (around 785) means it’s not going to be a standout. That trend continues through the weekend; it’s surfable but nothing to write home about.

The real action looks like it might kick off around Monday the 20th, when a larger pulse of swell shows up. Swell heights jump to 8ft from the NW, but the period is a short 8 seconds – that’s windswell, not groundswell, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. The energy picks up to 1079, which is moderate, but the cross-on wind is still a factor. This isn’t for beginners; 8ft is getting into the too-big-for-beginners zone. The offshore wind on the morning of the 20th (light NNW) is a positive, though.

The standout of the entire outlook, and the one I’d circle on your calendar, is Saturday the 25th. The morning has a clean 8ft NW swell with a 9-second period, and with light offshore winds from the NW, conditions could be pretty good. The combined energy is strong at 1547. This is for experienced surfers only – 8ft is right on the edge of expert territory, especially with a shorter period. It’s exposed to the W swell, so the direction is alright. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

The following days, Sunday the 26th through Tuesday the 28th, keep the size up, with waves ranging from 7ft to 10ft from the NNW. The energy is strong to very strong (up to 1764), but the cross-on winds and shorter period (8-9 seconds) mean it’ll be a bit of a battle. This is expert-only territory, and the setup looks more like it could be fun for kite surfing than a clean paddle session, given the chop from the side winds.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The best bet is Saturday the 25th, with the morning session looking the cleanest. The rest of the second week is big and punchy, but expect it to be a bit rough. Forecasts can change, but for now, that’s the call.

Rusty.

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