Gunnamatta Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Gunnamatta Beach is looking at a wild ride over the next couple of weeks. The short story is that we’ve got some serious size coming through, but the wind and conditions are going to make it tricky to find clean waves. We’re going to have to be patient and pick our moments. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

The start of the forecast is a write-off. Tuesday morning is already a mess with a 4 ft SW groundswell at 18 seconds – that’s a beautiful long-period pulse, but the cross-onshore wind is making it choppy. The energy is strong, sitting at 1846, but it’s not worth paddling out for. Tuesday afternoon just gets worse, with 7 ft swell and onshore wind. Wednesday and Thursday are a no-go zone. We’re looking at massive 12 ft to 13 ft SW swells with howling onshore winds. The energy readings are off the charts, hitting over 8600 and even 10157, but that’s just dangerous and blown out. Unless you’re a madman on a jet ski, stay on the beach.

We finally get a window on Friday morning, the 11th of September. The swell has dropped to a manageable 7 ft from the SW, still with a decent 14-second period, but the wind is light cross-onshore. It’s marginal, and the energy is moderate at 1830. It’s not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction.

The standout window is Saturday, the 12th of September. This is the one to circle. Saturday morning we’ve got a clean 8 ft SW groundswell with a 15-second period, and the wind is light and cross-offshore from the north at 16 mph. The energy is moderate at 2510, but the key is the clean conditions. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. It’s got size and power, but it’s not too big for the advanced crew. The crowds at Gunnamatta can be a problem, especially on a good day, so expect company. Saturday afternoon is even better: glassy offshore wind from the NNE at only 3 mph, with a 7 ft SW swell. It doesn’t get much cleaner than that around here. This is your session.

Sunday, the 13th, the wind swings north and gets fresh, but it’s still cross-offshore, keeping the 5 ft to 5 ft SW swell relatively clean. The energy drops off to around 1032-1331, so it’s smaller and less powerful. It’s a good follow-up day, but not the standout.

Then we hit another poor stretch. Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th are messy with strong cross-onshore winds and lumpy conditions. The swell drops to under 3 ft on Monday, and the energy is weak. Not worth it.

We get a glimmer on Thursday the 17th of September. The swell bumps back up to 7 ft from the SW with a 16-second period, and the wind is cross-offshore from the north at 12 mph. The conditions are clean, and the energy is moderate at 2024. It’s a solid option for experienced surfers, but the wind is a bit stronger than the previous Saturday.

Looking further out, the long-range forecast is a tease. Saturday the 19th of September shows a 10 ft SW swell with light cross-shore wind. The energy is very strong at 6567, and the conditions are described as favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for the break. Same goes for Monday the 21st, with another 12 ft SW pulse. These are expert-only days, and only if the tide lines up perfectly. The rest of that second week is a mix of strong winds, big swell, and choppy conditions.

So, the honest call: the absolute best on offer is Saturday, the 12th of September. Get it while it’s clean. The second-best window is Thursday the 17th. After that, we’re chasing shadows.

Rusty

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