Apollo Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into what the next couple of weeks are looking like for the local area.

Overall, we’ve got a pretty solid run of surf coming through, but it’s not for everyone. The early part of the window serves up some serious, powerful groundswell that’s really only suitable for experienced surfers. The water temp is sitting at around 57°, which is just a touch warmer than average for this time of year—nothing crazy, but worth a mention if you’re suiting up at Apollo Bay.

First up, we’re kicking off on Friday the 4th of September with a big SW groundswell pushing 10ft, period at a long 16 seconds. Combined energy is strong at 3820, and with a cross-off breeze from the NNW, the lineup will be clean but powerful. This is solid, heavy stuff. Not a beginner wave by any stretch—this is for the experienced crew only.

Saturday the 5th brings some serious size. Saturday morning sees 7ft SW swell with a 15-second period and a fresh NW wind keeping it cross-off. But the real standout of the whole period? Saturday afternoon: a massive 15ft WSW swell rattles in with a 15-second period, combined energy skyrocketing to 11912. Wind is strong offshore from the WNW. This is big, raw, and difficult to paddle into. For expert surfers only, and even then, it’s a battle. The tide and conditions could make this a wild one.

Sunday the 6th is a welcome drop in size—down to a much more manageable 5ft SW swell at 14 seconds. Gentle offshore winds in the morning from the WSW and moderate offshores in the afternoon keep things clean. Much more user-friendly. Combined energy sits at 1212 and 841, so plenty of push without the intimidation.

Monday the 7th is a step down again—6ft SW dropping to 4ft SSW through the day. Clean, but not firing. Still surfable for the keen.

Now, Tuesday the 8th is your pick of the early-to-mid week. Glossy, glassy conditions in the morning with only 3 mph WSW wind. Swell is 4ft from the SW with a very long 18-second period—groundswell with proper shape. Combined energy is 1375. This is one of the best windows for a relaxed, quality session.

The 9th and 10th of September see another pulse of solid swell—13ft dropping to 12ft SW, with long periods (16 to 19 seconds). Strong energy again (12906 dropping to 7454). Winds stay cross-off, but it’s big and pushing hard. Not for beginners; this is expert territory. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on the bigger days if you’re honest with yourself.

From the 11th of September, the swell eases back to 7ft and 7ft SSW, clean with light breezes. A nice spell of consistent, manageable surf. Crowds are sometimes a factor here, but it’s not always packed.

Then we hit a quieter stretch. From the 14th of September through the 16th, swells drop significantly—down to 2ft to 3ft. That’s a real gap in quality surf for a few days. The 14th and 15th are particularly weak, with combined energy in the low hundreds. Not worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate.

The 17th of September offers a little spike—4ft from the W at 12 seconds, with a gentle offshore wind. It’s small but could be fun for a micro-session.

The 18th is flat with weak 2ft SW swell—glassy in the morning but not enough to get excited about.

Finally, the 19th of September provides a late highlight: Saturday morning goes glassy again with 5ft SW swell at 13 seconds and combined energy of 1453. Clean, user-friendly. But later that afternoon it jumps to 8ft SW with a very long 19-second period and a light cross-onshore breeze, which muddles it a bit. Still, there’s promise in that Saturday morning window.

Bottom line: The standout days are Saturday 5th afternoon for the big-wave crew, and Tuesday 8th for cleaner, more quality waves. The second week is quieter with only a small burst around the 19th. Stay keen.

Rusty.

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