Apollo Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mates, Rusty here. Let’s break it down. We’ve got a solid run of south-west swell aimed at Apollo Bay over the next couple of weeks. The first few days are pumping, then it fades into smaller, cleaner weekend waves before a mix of bigger, more unruly energy pushes through in the second week. Water temp is sitting at 58°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The big story is this Friday afternoon. Apollo Bay is going to be absolutely thumping. We’re looking at a 16ft SW swell, with a period of 14 seconds, and a fresh offshore wind from the west. The combined energy is massive—over 14,000 (14141)—so this is proper groundswell. This is a big, powerful swell, and at this size, it’s strictly for experienced surfers. The swell direction is straight out of the SW, which is the optimum for this spot. Expect a crowded lineup because word will be out.

Saturday morning still has plenty of grunt, with a 13ft SW swell and a moderate offshore wind. The energy is still huge (7171), but the tide and conditions might be a bit tricky. By Saturday afternoon, it’s dropped to 12ft, still with a clean offshore wind, and the energy is still very strong (5066). This is still a heavy day, but the window for a good wave is there if you’re on it.

Sunday sees a massive drop-off. The swell is down to 5ft, but the wind is a light, gentle offshore from the west. The energy is minimal (554), but the conditions are clean. This is more of a beginner-friendly day, with small, manageable waves. The long period (11 seconds) suggests the sets will be a bit spaced out, making it easier to paddle out.

Monday through to Thursday morning next week is a mixed bag. There’s a new push of SW swell on Tuesday, peaking at 12ft, but the wind is a cross-offshore, and the conditions are described as marginal. The energy is high (4763), but the quality is questionable. A solid 15-second period on Tuesday afternoon points to a better shaped wave, but the fresh wind (22 mph) might chop it up.

By Wednesday, we’ve got another 10ft SW groundswell with a 15-second period, but again, the wind is cross-off, so it’s not clean. The energy is still very strong (4585), but the surf report is calling it marginal. This is a spot for the dedicated, not the casual.

The real standout after the initial big swell is the long-range forecast for the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of August. Sunday the 2nd looks like a gem. We’ve got a 7ft SW groundswell with a very long period of 17 seconds, and the wind is glassy in the afternoon. This is a classic Apollo Bay day: clean, long-period lines wrapping around the point. The energy is high (2386), and the conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. This is a session to pencil in, but remember, it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it.

The tail end of the forecast, around the 7th and 8th of August, sees another major pulse of SW swell, with heights up to 8ft and periods of 16-17 seconds. The energy is massive (over 4,000), but the wind is a cross-shore or cross-off, and the report is calling it marginal. At this size, and with the wind angle, it could be a bit of a mess. Might be better suited to the kite crew than a paddle surfer, honestly.

So, the clear standout is Friday afternoon, the 24th of July, for the big, powerful groundswell. The second pick is the glassy Sunday the 2nd of August for a cleaner, more refined session. The rest of the fortnight has waves, but you’ll have to pick your moments with the wind.

Rusty out.

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