Cunns Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it—the first few days of this run are a bit of a write-off. Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th are a mess: cross-shore and cross-onshore winds, lumpy, choppy, and the surf quality is just poor. We’ve got a moderate combined wave energy (677) on Thursday morning, but it’s not doing us any favours. You’re better off staying home or finding something else to do.

Then we hit a bit of a sweet spot. Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th, things clean right up. The swell drops off a touch, but what we’ve got is clean. Saturday morning sees a 3ft SW swell with a gentle cross-off breeze and a combined energy of 403—nothing huge, but it’s surfable and clean. Saturday afternoon gets even better with a 3ft SW swell, offshore wind from the SE, and clean conditions. Then Sunday afternoon is the standout of this first week: 4ft SW swell, 19-second period, clean as a whistle, with a combined energy of 887. That’s a long-period groundswell, so it’ll be fat and powerful, especially good for a reef break like Cunns. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Monday the 31st sees the swell bump up to 5ft, but the wind swings cross-shore, and it gets a bit messy. Still, the combined energy jumps to 1695, so there’s plenty of push, but the quality is marginal. Tuesday the 1st of September is a total blowout again—fresh cross-onshore winds, lumpy, poor surf. Skip it.

Now, Wednesday the 2nd of September morning is a hidden gem. The wind drops to a slight air from the south, it’s clean, and the swell is 4ft SW with a 15-second period and a combined energy of 697. The forecast says “very good surf conditions,” and I’d agree. Then Thursday the 3rd of September morning is the real deal: glassy conditions, 4ft SW swell, 14-second period, combined energy of 601. That’s as good as it gets for a clean, quiet session. No crowds to worry about here—Cunns is inconsistent, so when it’s on, it’s on, and you’ll have it mostly to yourself.

The second week ramps up in size. Friday the 4th of September afternoon pushes 7ft SW swell, 15-second period, and a combined energy of 2126. The wind is cross-off and clean, but at that size, it’s getting serious. Saturday the 5th of September morning is the standout of the whole run: 5ft SW swell, 14-second period, offshore wind from the SE, and the combined energy is 1121. The forecast calls it “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers,” and that’s no lie. This is the one to circle on the calendar. Saturday afternoon gets even bigger at 7ft, but the wind is cross-off, still clean, but more for the confident crew.

Sunday the 6th of September is pushing 10ft SW swell, but the wind is cross-on and choppy—that’s big, ugly, and only for the die-hard experts. Monday the 7th of September morning is a cracker: 7ft SW swell, 16-second period, light offshore wind from the ENE, and a combined energy of 2492. Clean, powerful, and solid. Tuesday the 8th of September afternoon is the biggest and best of the long-range: 10ft SW swell, 17-second period, light offshore, and a combined energy of 4533. That’s a massive, long-period groundswell, and it’ll be holding up clean on the reef. For the experts, this is a dream. But it’s far out, so keep an eye on it.

Wednesday the 9th of September is a write-off again—fresh cross-onshore winds, lumpy, poor. Thursday the 10th of September cleans up, with 6ft to 6ft SW swell, cross-off winds, and clean conditions, combined energy up to 2733. Friday the 11th of September is a gentle cross-shore with 6ft SW swell, nothing special but surfable.

If I’m picking one standout, it’s Saturday the 5th of September morning. That’s the sweet spot: decent size, clean offshore wind, and the reef will be firing. For the big-wave crew, Tuesday the 8th of September afternoon is the one to watch.

Rusty.

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