Tunnels Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s talk about Tunnels. We’ve got a 16-day window here, but don’t get too excited just yet – it’s a bit of a slow burner. The first real surfable moments are going to be Wednesday morning, July 15th, and that’s where the best of the early action sits.

The dominant pattern is a really long-period groundswell, around 15 seconds from the West, but it’s small. We’re talking about 3 ft to 3 ft sets. The combined energy is moderate, sitting at 439 on Wednesday morning. That’s not a lot of punch, but with that long period, it’ll have some shape. The wind is a solid cross-offshore from the East, 9 to 12 mph, which will keep the surface clean. Tunnels is a reef break, and with that long period, it’s a plus – it’ll hold the line better than a beach break. The water temp is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Thursday and Friday, July 16th and 17th, are pretty much a repeat but weaker. Same wind, same direction, but swell drops to 2 ft to 3 ft and the energy dips into the 200s. It’s still surfable, but it’s getting marginal. The tide might be a factor here, so you’ll have to pick your moment.

Then we hit a rough patch. From Saturday, July 18th, right through to the end of the month, the quality drops off a cliff. The swell direction swings to the East and ENE, and the period drops to 7 or 8 seconds – that’s short-period, wind-affected stuff. The wind goes cross-shore, sometimes cross-off, but the wave state gets described as “poor surf conditions” or “cross-chop.” The combined energy is mostly in the 100s and low 200s, which is weak to moderate, but it’s just not clean. The size does bump up to 5 ft on July 21st and 22nd, but with that short period and cross-shore wind, it’ll be a messy, choppy mess. The best you can hope for is a marginal session on the 22nd with a 5 ft, 7-second East swell and cross-off wind, but it’s a long shot.

There is a little flicker of hope right at the end. On Monday, July 27th, a new long-period swell from the East (15 seconds) rolls in, but it’s only 2 ft to 3 ft. The energy is back up to 423 on the morning and 520 on the afternoon, which is moderate. The wind is cross-offshore again, so it’ll be clean. It’s the best-looking day in the second week, but it’s still small. That’s a promising but uncertain call this far out.

So, the standouts? July 15th Wednesday morning is the pick. It’s the cleanest, most consistent option with that long-period West swell. The other slim pick is the 27th, but don’t bank on it.

For a beginner, this whole period is a no-go. The swell is either too small or too messy, and when it’s over 5 ft, it’s not for novices. For experts, the 5 ft days on the 21st and 22nd are too short-period and choppy to be worth the paddle. The setup is more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer on those days.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on that 27th. It tends not to stay poor for long around here.

Rusty

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