Bunkers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a slow start, but it’s not a total write-off. The first real window of opportunity opens up on Friday the 24th of July. The swell is coming from the southwest with a very long period of 24 seconds, which is proper groundswell energy. The height is small, around 2 ft to 3 ft, but the combined energy is moderate (628 to 1300). This kind of long-period swell really needs a good setup to hold together, so it’s a bit of a teaser. The wind is light and offshore from the northwest, so the surface will be clean, but it’s going to be small and a little tricky to catch.

The standout in this whole forecast, and it’s not even close, is the afternoon of Friday the 24th of July at Bunkers. The swell is 3 ft from the southwest, the period is a massive 24 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate (1300). The wind is a light offshore from the north-northwest, practically glassy. If you get a pulse, the waves will be clean and lined up, but for a beginner, that long period will make it a bit hard to get into. Still, for a seasoned surfer and a mellow wave, this is the best moment on offer.

Moving into the weekend, the swell picks up a little – 4 ft on Saturday morning and 4 ft on Sunday morning – but the wind shifts to a cross-on shore. The period drops from 21 seconds down to 19 seconds, so the energy is still there (1446 on Saturday morning), but the surface won't be as clean. It’s surfable, but it’s not the same quality as Friday.

From Monday the 27th of July right through to the end of the first week, the pattern is similar: waist-to-chest high swell, but the wind is consistently cross-on from the north or north-northwest. The period drops further into the 16-18 second range, and the energy stays moderate (800-1150). The wave quality is marginal, with the wind making things a bit lumpy. It’s not a great run for clean, groomed waves.

Then we hit a gap. From roughly the 29th of July through to the 1st of August, the conditions turn poor. The swell is still around 4 ft, but the wind builds and stays cross-on, making it choppy. The scores are very low, and frankly, it’s not worth paddling out unless you’re desperate for a splash.

The second week gets interesting, but it’s a mixed bag. On Sunday the 2nd of August, the swell size jumps up to 8 ft in the morning and 13 ft in the afternoon from the north-northwest. The period is short, around 8-9 seconds, so it’s a windswell or a very short-period groundswell. The combined energy is strong (1383 and 2842). This is big, powerful, and messy. The wind is cross-on at 12 mph, making it a choppy, bumpy mess. This is for experts only, and even then, it’s going to be a battle. Honestly, with that size and onshore wind, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Monday the 3rd of August is also big, with 10 ft to 12 ft from the north-northwest, but the wind is lighter. Still, the period is only 9 seconds, so it’s not clean. The energy is very strong (1721 to 1865), but the quality is poor. If you’re a big-wave charger and don’t mind the chop, it’s there.

After that, the swell drops back down to the 6 ft to 8 ft range for the rest of the week, but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore and moderate to strong (9-12 mph). The period is short (7-8 seconds), and the energy is weak to moderate (391 to 908). The conditions are poor, with choppy, bumpy waves. Not a good time.

The final bright spot on the horizon is Saturday the 8th of August. The morning shows a clean 6 ft swell from the northwest with a light cross-shore wind from the west-southwest. The period is still short at 7 seconds, so it’s not going to be a thing of beauty, but at least it’s clean and rideable. The energy is weak (535), so it’s a small, weak wave.

So, the best call in this 16-day window is the afternoon of Friday the 24th of July. It’s small, but the conditions are pristine. After that, Saturday the 8th of August is a distant second, but it’s a long way out and the short period is a concern. The rest of the run is either too windy, too big, or too messy.

Rusty.

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