Vunaniu Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking straight at the forecast for the only spot that’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks: Vunaniu. It’s a reef break, and it’s inconsistent, so when it’s on, you gotta be ready.

The first real action cranks up on Friday morning, the 31st of July. We’ve got a 2ft swell rolling in from the SSW, with a super long period of 16 seconds. That’s pure groundswell. The wind is a cross-off from the east at 12 mph, which is keeping the surface clean. The water is sitting at 78°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The combined energy is reading 571, which is moderate energy. It’s small, but the lines will be clean and long. Not a standout, but a solid start.

Saturday morning, the 1st of August, is where it gets a bit more interesting. The swell ticks up to 4ft from the SW, period at 14 seconds. The wind swings to a lighter ENE at just 6 mph, still cross-offish. The energy bumps up to 680. The waves will have a bit more push, and the clean conditions will make it feel good. Crowds are a possibility here, so keep your eyes peeled.

Sunday morning, the 2nd of August, is similar: 4ft from the SW, 14-second period, but the wind is a cross-shore from the SE at 9 mph. The energy is up to 714. It’s still rideable, but the chop is starting to creep in. By Sunday afternoon, the wind goes cross-on, and the energy jumps to 894 – the swell is trying to build, but the wind is ruining it. It’s a no-go.

Monday, the 3rd of August, is a write-off. The swell hits 5ft and then 6ft from the SSW, but the wind is a stiff cross-on at 12-15 mph. The energy is 1030 and then 1482 – that’s moderate to strong wave energy. But the chop is nasty. This is one for the experts only, if anyone, but honestly, it’s messy.

The standout of the whole forecast looks like Wednesday, the 5th of August. The morning session shows 4ft from the SSW, with a period jumping to 18 seconds – that’s a very long-period groundswell. The wind is cross-off from the east at 12 mph. The energy is the highest we see, at 1783. Energy is strong. The waves will be clean, powerful, and with that long period, the reef at Vunaniu will handle it beautifully. This is easily the best morning on offer. Get out there.

After that, the wind gets stiff again. The 7th and 8th of August see a shift in swell direction to the ESE, with a short period of 8 seconds. The swell height is 6ft, but it’s a windswell. The energy drops to 982 and 909. The wind is cross-off and strong, so the surface stays clean, but the waves will be bloated and weak. Not great.

There’s a big gap of poor days from the 8th through the 10th. The 11th has a little pulse of 4ft from the E, but it’s marginal.

Then, look at the 12th of August, Wednesday morning. The wind goes glassy, with a slight air from the NNE at just 3 mph. The swell is 3ft from the E, period 10 seconds. Energy is low at 342. But the glassy surface will make it look like a swimming pool. It’s a tiny, clean day for a longboard or a funboard.

The 13th of August, Thursday morning, is similar: 3ft from the ESE, 10-second period, and light offshore wind from the NNE at 3 mph. Clean again.

The last little blip to watch is the 15th of August, Saturday afternoon. The swell builds back to 6ft from the SSW, period 13 seconds, with a cross-off wind. The energy is 1167 – strong. That’s a late-afternoon session for the experts, but it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it.

Bottom line: the standout is Wednesday, the 5th of August, morning. The second best is the glassy morning on the 12th of August, if you want a clean, small wave. The rest is a bit of a mixed bag with wind problems. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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