Bunkers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks. It’s Rusty here. Let's have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks at Bunkers. Gotta be honest with you, the outlook is a bit of a mixed bag with a lot of noise to wade through before we get to anything decent.

We start off with a bit of swell on Wednesday the 8th. The morning glass is looking promising with a light offshore wind from the NNW at 9 mph, and we’re seeing a 3ft SSW swell, but it’s a long-period groundswell at 18 seconds. That’s a lot of water moving, but at this size, it might just be a bit gutless. The combined energy is moderate at 1024, but the report calls it marginal. The water is a bit colder than usual, sitting at 53°, which is about 3° below the norm for this time of year. That afternoon, the wind swings cross-on, and the quality drops right off.

Thursday the 9th sees the swell bump up to 7ft from the NW, but the period drops to 8 seconds. That’s a short-period, wind-affected swell, and with a cross-on breeze, it’s going to be a choppy mess. The energy is strong at 1237 in the afternoon, but it’s not surfable. Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th are similar stories – some swell, but the wind is wrong, and the conditions are poor.

Honestly, from Wednesday the 8th right through to Tuesday the 15th, there’s not a single standout session. We’ve got a long stretch of marginal or poor conditions. The wind is almost always cross-on or onshore, and the swell is either too short-period or just messy.

Now, things get interesting around Thursday the 16th. We start to see a building swell from the NNW. The morning has a 7ft swell with a 7-second period, which is still a bit short, but the wind is light offshore. The energy is strong at 1127. By the afternoon, the swell is 8ft, and although the wind is cross-on, the period ticks up to 8 seconds. The energy jumps to 1444. Still, it’s marginal.

The real standout window is shaping up for the weekend of the 19th and 20th of July. On Friday the 17th, we’ve got a 10ft NNW swell with a 9-second period. That’s a solid, powerful swell. The morning has a light offshore wind from the NNW at 6 mph, which is a major positive. The energy is very strong at 1921. However, at 10ft, this is strictly for experts. The afternoon stays cross-on, but the energy is still massive at 1892.

Saturday the 18th is another strong day. The swell holds at 8ft from the NNW with a 9-second period, and the wind is a light cross-on from the W at 6 mph in the morning, only causing small ripples. The energy is very strong at 1681. The afternoon is even better with a light offshore wind and 8ft swell, energy at 1730. This is the best on offer for the whole period. For the experienced surfers, this is the window.

By Sunday the 19th, the swell is still 8ft, but the wind is a bit stronger at 9 mph, and the energy drops to 1404. The rest of the week into the 23rd sees the swell drop back down, with some small, long-period SSW swells returning, but it’s still not a classic.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The best bet is the weekend of the 19th, particularly Saturday the 18th, when the combination of solid, 8ft to 8ft NNW swell and light winds should produce some heavy, powerful waves. It’s a long-range call, so it’s promising but not locked in. Keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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