Tunnels Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks. Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s cooking at Tunnels.

We start off with nothing to write home about. The first few days are a total dud – cross-off breeze, small, weak swell, and not a surfer’s friend. The water is sitting at 27° with the anomaly basically flat, so about average for the time of year. You’ll be waiting until Monday the 7th of September before the ocean wakes up.

Monday morning the 7th, a proper long-period groundswell starts rolling in from the SSW at 3ft with a 17-second period. The combined energy is solid (813), and by the afternoon the wind goes light offshore from the ESE at just 3 mph. That’s glassy, clean conditions. This is a real standout – the kind of day you remember. The swell direction is SSW, which is a good match for the optimum SW direction at Tunnels. The energy builds further on Tuesday the 8th, with the morning still offshore and the afternoon seeing a jump to 5ft from the SSW, period of 14 seconds, and the combined energy cranks up to 1511. That’s expert territory, but on a reef like this, it’ll handle that long-period energy beautifully. Crowds are often an issue here, so expect company.

The quality window holds through Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th, then it fades. Wednesday the 9th is back to marginal with moderate cross-off breezes. There’s a tiny, clean snippet on Friday the 11th afternoon with 2ft from the SW and a long 16-second period, but it’s small and the energy is low (206). Not a standout.

The big story for the second week is the swell that arrives on Sunday the 13th of September. That morning we’re looking at 10ft from the SSW with a period of 12 seconds, and the combined energy is a massive 2568. The afternoon pushes to 12ft and 3210 energy. That’s way too big for Tunnels, and the file itself says it’s too big for this break. Leave that one to the big-wave crew who know the place inside out, or don’t even bother. Monday the 14th is still solid but dropping, with 7ft from the WSW (a bit off the optimum) and a shorter 9-second period, and the winds are cross-off. It’s surfable but not the clean, lined-up perfection of the 7th and 8th.

After that, it’s all downhill. The last few days of the forecast drop right off, with tiny swell and fresh winds. A few days of nothing to get excited about.

So, if you’re picking your days, the clear standout is Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th of September. Get on it.

Rusty.

Read more