Apollo Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Grab a coffee, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Apollo Bay. We’ve got a ripper of a big-swell window coming, but keep your wits about you—this ain’t for the faint-hearted.

We start with a bang, not a whimper. Wednesday the 12th of August is already showing a big, powerful SW groundswell pushing in. It’s a solid 13ft out of the WSW with a very long period of 16 seconds, and the combined energy is serious—it’s pumping (10978). The wind is a fresh 30 km/h westerly, which is offshore here, so the lineup will be clean but heaving. That’s a whole lot of ocean moving. Thursday the 13th is the real standout though. Morning session sees the swell peak at 16ft from the SW, 16-second period, and the energy is absolutely cranking (15830). With a 25 km/h offshore breeze, this is going to be a proper, world-class day. But let’s be honest, anything over 8ft is for experts only, and at 16ft, only the very best crew should even look at the water. The water temp is 57°, about average for this time of year.

Thursday afternoon it backs off to a still-juicy 10ft, still clean with offshore wind. Friday the 14th drops to a more manageable 8ft from the SW, still offshore in the morning. The energy stays moderate (3309). By Saturday morning the 15th, the wind goes glassy with a light SE breeze, and we’re looking at 8ft of SW swell. That combination of clean, glassy conditions and decent swell is a rare treat, and it’ll be a great day for experienced surfers who want perfect lines without the absolute monster size.

There’s a bit of a lull from Sunday the 16th through the middle of the following week. Swell drops below 5ft, and we get onshore easterlies and cross-shore winds that kill the quality. You’ll see a few small, weak waves around the 20th and 21st with glassy or offshore winds, but they’re tiny—2ft to 3ft. Not worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate for a splash.

Then, looking way down the track, there's another pulse showing for Monday the 24th of August. An 8ft SW swell shows up, and then on Monday afternoon it jumps to 12ft from the WSW. However, the wind turns onshore from the east and the period drops to 11 seconds, so it’ll be a lumpy, bumpy mess. Too big for beginners? Yes. Clean for experts? Not with that onshore wind. Tuesday the 25th keeps the size at 8ft to 8ft but with a cross-shore wind, meaning chop on the face. It’s a long-range signal, so keep an eye on it, but right now it’s a bit of a write-off for clean surfing.

So, the standout windows are clear: Thursday morning, August 13th, for the absolute biggest, most powerful, and cleanest swell of the period—experts only. And for the rest of us who aren’t charging 16ft waves, Saturday morning, August 15th, with glassy conditions and a solid 8ft SW swell, is your best bet for a high-quality session with a bit more margin for error.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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