Tunnels Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – it's a pretty grim stretch ahead. The data shows a long, flat spell before we even get a whisper of anything worth paddling out for. The first solid recommendation doesn't pop up until Wednesday, July 15th, so that's over a week of waiting from the start. For the first week and a half, wave heights are tiny, generally under 3 ft, and the wind is a stubborn cross-offshore breeze from the ENE at 18 to 22 mph. That wind is just messy for what little bump there is. The combined swell energy is mostly in the low-to-mid hundreds, but it's all weak and unorganised. We've got a lot of "poor surf conditions" on the cards.

Let's talk about the one bright spot we *might* get. The standout here is Tunnels, and it's a late call. We're looking at Wednesday, July 15th and into the following weekend. The swell starts to show a bit of life with a SSW pulse around 2 ft but a very long period of 18 seconds. That's proper groundswell energy, even if it's not huge. The combined energy climbs into the moderate-to-strong range, reading 480 and then 573 on the Wednesday afternoon. The wind eases a touch to 18 mph, still cross-off from the ENE. For a break like Tunnels, which is exposed to the SW, this long-period groundswell should wrap in nicely. The water’s a warm 80°, which is about average for this time of year, so no wetsuit dramas.

Now, that small size and clean, cross-off wind is actually what you want for quality at a place like Tunnels. It's not going to be big, but the shape should be there. Keep in mind, when you get a period that long, the sets can be a bit inconsistent, but the waves that do come will have plenty of push. It’s listed as fairly consistent, which is good. Also, be aware the crowds are noted as "often", so expect some company for those clean lines.

Later in the run, towards July 20th and 21st, we see a bit of a rebound. The wind backs off to a gentle breeze from the East (9 mph), which is a nice change. The swell is still small, around 3-3 ft from the S/SSW at 13-14 seconds, but the lighter wind and clean conditions give us some "marginal" but rideable options. It's nothing to set the world on fire, but if you're desperate for a surf after that long wait, it'll be the best chance for a quick paddle on a longboard. The energy is moderate, reading 434 on the Monday morning.

So, to sum it up: expect a quiet, wind-affected start for over a week. The one true standout is the long-period groundswell arriving around July 15th at Tunnels, offering clean, fun waves for intermediate surfers despite the small size. After that, things improve slightly with lighter winds but stay small. It's a waiting game.

Stay patient.
Rusty

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