Cunns Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a solid run of surf coming up at Cunns, a consistent reef break that’s exposed to the SW. Don’t let the "inconsistent" label fool you for this stretch – there’s plenty of action on the cards, but it’s a wave for advanced surfers only. The water temp is sitting at 60°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so a good 4/3 will do you fine.

The first proper swell window kicks off on Tuesday the 28th of July. The afternoon sees a 6ft SW swell with a very long 15-second period. The energy is pumping hard – 1610 (moderate-strong). The problem is the 25 km/h cross-shore wind from the SSW, which will put a bit of a chop on the face. It’s surfable, but not the cleanest. Hold out for Wednesday morning the 29th. That’s when it gets good. The swell jumps to 8ft from the SW with a 16-second period, and the energy is massive at 2896. The wind goes light and cross-offshore from the south, making for clean, lined-up waves. This is a standout session for confident surfers – big, powerful groundswell with long gaps between sets. The afternoon stays clean, too, with a 7ft SW swell and 2082 energy.

Thursday the 30th is your best bet for a more user-friendly size. Morning brings a 5ft SW, 13-second period, 784 energy, and a light offshore from the NE. The afternoon drops to 4ft with the same period and a light cross-off breeze. Both are glassy and clean – perfect for a fun session if the 8ft was a bit too much. The swell direction is bang on from the SW, which is the optimum for this reef.

Friday the 31st through the weekend sees a steady drop. Friday morning is 3ft, and the wind swings cross-shore, making it a bit messy. Saturday the 1st of August is a write-off with strong cross-onshore winds and lumpy conditions. The swell is building again, but the wind is ruining it. Sunday the 2nd brings a clean 6ft swell from the SW, but the wind is a fresh 35 km/h cross-off. It’s clean, but the wind is howling – only for the hardcore.

The real gem in the second week is Monday the 3rd of August. The afternoon session has a 6ft SW swell, 13-second period, and 999 energy. The wind goes offshore from the ESE. That’s a clean, moderate offshore wind on a reef break – smooth faces, good shape. This is a standout. The days after that are smaller and more inconsistent, with a mix of cross-shore winds.

Now, late in the run, around Friday the 7th of August, we see a big spike in energy. The afternoon delivers a 7ft SW swell with a 19-second period – very long period groundswell. The energy number is a massive 5286. But the wind is a moderate cross-shore, creating a cross-chop. It’s a powerful, raw ocean that day. The weekend and into the following week get ugly with strong onshore winds and huge, messy swell. By Sunday the 9th, the swell hits 10ft, but the wind is a near gale. That’s not for paddle surfing – that’s kite territory if you’re game.

Overall, the standout sessions are Wednesday morning the 29th of July for the big, clean power, and Monday afternoon the 3rd of August for the clean offshore conditions on a solid 6ft swell. The gap between Thursday afternoon and the Monday session is a few days of smaller, less clean surf, but it’s not a total blank.

Rusty.

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