Gunnamatta Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Gunnamatta Beach

Alright, mate, let’s talk about our local stretch, Gunnamatta Beach. It’s a proper exposure to the southwest, so it really grabs that swell. Water temp is sitting at 57° – that’s about a degree and a half warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s a touch on the mild side.

We’re staring down the barrel of a long, windy wait. The first few days are a write-off – Wednesday and Thursday are just brutal with strong cross-onshore winds over 18 mph and a messy, lumpy ocean. The swell is pumping, but it’s completely blown out. You wouldn’t even paddle out. Friday the 4th looks a bit cleaner on paper, with a cross-offshore wind and a 12 ft SW groundswell at 16 seconds – that’s a powerful, long-period groundswell (combined energy of all swells directed here is 5570). But honestly, it’s going to be too big for this beach break. That’s a wave for experts only, and even then, it’s going to be a washing machine. Saturday the 5th is a write-off again with near-gale winds. Sunday the 6th through Monday the 7th is small and choppy. Not worth your wetsuit.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Tuesday the 8th. The morning shows a clean, cross-offshore breeze and a 4 ft SW groundswell, but here’s the kicker – the period is 18 seconds. That’s a very long period groundswell. For a beach break, that can mean waves that are a bit too straight and hard to predict; it’s honestly better suited to a point or reef. Still, it’s clean.

But the standout is Thursday the 10th of September. The morning is glassy – dead calm, no wind. The swell is a solid 12 ft from the SW, with a period of 17 seconds (combined energy of all swells directed here is 8635). That is a massive, powerful, and beautifully clean southwest groundswell. The ocean will be a heaving, glassy battlefield. It’s going to be big, steep, and for experienced surfers only. If you’re not solid on a bigger board, stay on the sand. This is the best on offer, but it’s a beast.

After that, things settle down. The second week (from the 11th onwards) is a bit of a mixed bag. There are a few mornings with clean offshore winds, but the swell drops to 5 ft to 7 ft, and wave energy is lower (mostly in the 900-1700 range). It’s not terrible, but it’s not great. Crowds are often a factor here, so expect company. There’s another spike on the 17th of September – a 12 ft SE groundswell with clean offshore winds – but again, it’s looking too big for a comfortable session at this beach.

So, for the next 16 days, the only true standout is that Thursday the 10th. If you’re an expert, get ready for a glassy, powerful, and slightly intimidating session. For everyone else, keep your eyes on the forecasts for a cleaner window in the second week.

Rusty.

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