Bunkers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the surf is pretty flat and messy for a good stretch. The first real day that looks even remotely worth paddling out is Wednesday morning, August 20th, but it’s a real scrappy one. The water temperature is sitting at 57°, which is normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Bunkers is the only spot on the radar, and it’s a beginner-friendly, fairly consistent break that’s exposed to the swell. The problem is, for the first few days, the wind is mostly cross-onshore and the wave energy is just not there. Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th have some small pulses, but the conditions are described as marginal or poor. The swell on Wednesday the 19th jumps up to 7 ft from the NNW, but it’s a short period of 8 seconds, and the wind is on it, making it a messy, choppy mess. It’s not worth getting excited about.

Now, things get a little more interesting heading into Sunday, August 23rd. The swell picks up a bit, with a 7 ft northwesterly swell (8-second period) in the morning. The wind is a light cross-onshore breeze. The combined energy of all swells is moderate (838). It’s still not a standout, but it’s the best looking bump in the first week. The crowd situation at Bunkers can be a thing sometimes, so keep that in mind.

The real glimmer of hope, and I mean a real glimmer, comes much later. Monday, August 24th, we see a shift. The swell drops to 2 ft, but look at the period – 18 seconds from the SW. That’s a proper long-period groundswell. The combined energy is still moderate (547). The morning has a light cross-onshore breeze, but the afternoon turns glassy with a slight air and the wind going onshore. This is the kind of day that could offer a few clean, lined-up waves at Bunkers, but because it’s a beach break, that long-period swell might break a bit straight. Still, it’s the most promising session in the whole forecast.

The following week is a bit of a mixed bag again. There are a few more pulses of windswell (6 ft to 7 ft from the NNW) around August 26th and 27th, but the period is short (7-8 seconds) and the winds are mostly cross-onshore, keeping things choppy. Nothing to write home about.

After that, it fades out again. September 1st and 2nd are back to small, weak swells and poor conditions.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The one true standout, and it’s a relative term, is Monday, August 24th for that long-period, clean(ish) potential. Otherwise, it’s a long wait for some decent waves. Keep an eye on the forecast, because it’s a long way out.

Rusty.

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