Bunkers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cooking at Bunkers.

Straight up, the next week and a half is a bit of a grind. We’ve got swell, but it’s not coming clean. The best bets are thin on the ground, and you’ll be working for it.

The water is sitting at 57°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprise there.

We kick off on Friday, August 7th, but it’s a no-go. Small 3ft NNW swell with a short 7-second period, and a cross-on wind from the NNW at 9 mph. The wave energy is weak (274) and it’s just choppy and messy. Not worth a paddle.

Saturday, August 8th, the swell jumps a bit. Morning sees 6ft from the NNW, period still short at 7 seconds, but the wind swings offshore from the NNW. That’s clean, but the wave energy is moderate (549) and the forecast calls it marginal. The afternoon gets bigger at 7ft, but the wind goes cross-on again, making it choppy. Not the one.

Sunday, August 9th, the swell hits 8ft from the NNW, period creeping up to 8 seconds. The morning has moderate cross-on wind, and the energy is strong (1109). It’s heavy, but it’s not clean. The afternoon gets windier with a 12 mph cross-on, making it rough. This is expert territory only, and even then, it’s not great.

Monday, August 10th, the swell is solid at 10ft from the NNW. The morning is still cross-on and choppy. The afternoon is the real standout here. The wind drops to a light 6 mph from the north, and the period stretches to 9 seconds. The energy is strong (1319). For a brief window, it’s going to be manageable and the best of a tricky run. This is the pick of the first week, but it’s still a big, powerful wave. Only for experienced surfers.

Tuesday, August 11th through Thursday, August 13th, we’re stuck in a pattern. Swell stays big, 10ft to 12ft, with short 8-9 second periods, and cross-on winds. The energy is very high (up to 2326). It’s powerful, but the wind is always messing it up. Thursday morning and afternoon offer a glimmer of hope with light offshore winds from the NW and WNW, but the swell is still big and the quality is marginal.

Friday, August 14th, the swell starts to ease, dropping to 6ft by morning and 5ft in the afternoon. Winds are light and cross-on. It’s small and a bit bumpy, but it’s the first sign of things backing off. Energy is moderate (710).

Saturday, August 15th, the swell flips. A new long-period SSW groundswell rolls in at 2ft to 3ft, with a very long 16-18 second period. The wind is light and offshore in the morning, making it glassy. The energy is moderate (431). This is a classic case of a groundswell. It’s small, but those long gaps between sets will make it easy to get out. The problem is, it’s tiny at a beach break, so it might be too straight. Still, it’s the cleanest the water will be all week.

Sunday, August 16th, the SSW swell hangs around at 3ft, period still long at 16 seconds. The wind goes cross-shore from the WSW in the morning, then light cross-on in the afternoon. It’s small and clean, but not a standout.

From Monday, August 17th, it all drops off. Swell goes below 3ft, the energy is weak (246-346), and the winds are poor. The surf is flat and messy. This is a real blank run. There’s a slight uptick around Wednesday, August 19th, with a 4ft to 5ft WNW swell and a 12-second period, and light winds. It’s possible, but nothing to get excited about.

The Bottom Line: The only real standout is Monday afternoon, August 10th. That window of light wind and a solid 10ft NNW swell at Bunkers is your best chance for a proper session, but it’s a big, powerful wave for experts only. The rest of the period is a battle with wind and chop, or just flat.

Rusty.

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