Tunnels Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve had a good look at what’s coming up for Tunnels over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with a couple of really decent windows, but you’ll need to pick your moments.

The action kicks off on Sunday, September 6th. We’ve got some moderate south-southwest swell pushing in, but the winds are a pain—a stiff cross-off breeze from the east-northeast at 12 mph. It’ll be a bit choppy, and the set waves around 4 ft aren’t doing much. The water is a warm 81°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no suit needed.

Now, Monday the 7th is where it gets interesting. The swell builds to a solid 6 ft in the morning and ramps up to a powerful 7 ft by the afternoon, with a lovely long 14-second period from the southwest. That’s proper groundswell energy, and it pairs nicely with an offshore wind out of the east-southeast at 16 mph. Tunnels is a reef setup, and this south-west groundswell is just what the doctor ordered—waves will be holding up clean and hollow. The combined energy is absolutely cranking at 2349 in the afternoon, with a score that says excellent for experienced surfers. This is the standout window of the whole forecast. Get on it Monday afternoon if you can handle it, because it’s on the bigger side but oh-so-clean.

Tuesday the 8th is still fun, with a 8 ft southwest swell in the morning and a 19 mph cross-off wind. It’s still got plenty of energy (1930), but the period drops to 11 seconds and the wind is not as kind. It’ll be a little lumpy. By afternoon it drops right off to 5 ft, so the meat of the action is in the morning, but the crowd factor is high—Tunnels often gets busy, so expect company.

After that, we’re into a steady decline. Wednesday the 9th has some knee-to-waist high leftovers (3 ft) and light offshore winds, which will be clean for a finesse session, but the energy is low (418). Then from Thursday the 10th, it’s a long, skinny stretch of tiny, weak swells (1 ft to 2 ft) with relentless cross-off winds and combined energy dropping below 300 most days. This is a proper lull that lasts right through to the end of the forecast. From September 11th all the way to September 21st, the surf is almost non-existent—small, weak, and messy. There’s a tiny blip on September 14th with a 2 ft swell but a very long 22-second period, which at Tunnels could still wrap in a little, but the energy is minimal.

So, bottom line: Monday afternoon is your gold. A solid, powerful southwest groundswell with clean offshore wind. After that, prepare for a long, flat spell with barely a ripple worth paddling for.

Rusty.

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