
Surf Forecasts:
Apollo Bay surf forecast from 11 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 12 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 17s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 13 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 16s period, SW swell with 13,339 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 17s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Apollo Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Apollo Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 4.5m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 2.3m and 17s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 16s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Apollo Bay in the next 16 days are 5.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 13) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 16ft (5.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Apollo Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
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.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon night, min 11°C on Sun afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 16 | WSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
8719 | 10087 | 11701 | 11669 | 3650 | 4175 | 3288 | 2869 | 3051 | 2298 | 1875 | 1426 | 1094 | 965 | 706 | 720 | 823 | 695 | 407 | 567 | 344 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 10:50AM1.52m | 00:38AM2.14m | 12:14PM1.69m | 1:20AM2.23m | 1:17PM1.88m | 1:57AM2.28m | 2:10PM2.04m | 2:32AM2.28m | 2:57PM2.16m | 3:05AM2.24m | 3:41PM2.21m | 3:36AM2.16m | 4:22PM2.19m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:31PM0.42m | 6:58AM0.96m | 6:35PM0.39m | 7:37AM0.74m | 7:29PM0.38m | 8:14AM0.53m | 8:16PM0.40m | 8:49AM0.36m | 8:59PM0.46m | 9:23AM0.25m | 9:39PM0.54m | 9:56AM0.19m | 10:17PM0.66m | ||||||||
7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | |
— | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | |
mm | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 14 |
Feels °C | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
2259 | 2475 | 3745 | 4136 | 3650 | 4175 | 3288 | 2869 | 3051 | 2298 | 1875 | 1426 | 1094 | 965 | 706 | 720 | 823 | 695 | 407 | 567 | 344 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | — | — | — | S 16 | SSE 13 | — | — | SE 5 | SSW 11 | S 10 | ESE 6 | SW 18 | E 6 | ESE 6 |
— | 25 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 47 | 21 | — | — | — | 5 | 17 | — | — | 3 | 91 | 56 | 49 | 307 | 24 | 10 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 5 | SW 22 | SW 19 | ESE 6 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 75 | 358 | 24 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 16 | WSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 5 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 4 |
8719 | 10087 | 11701 | 11669 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 80 | 41 | 31 | 13 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 57 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 19 | 18 | 99 | 18 | 57 | 99 | 18 | 22 | 18 | 18 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Otway | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Apollo Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Apollo Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Apollo Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Apollo Bay surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Apollo Bay) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Apollo Bay may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Apollo Bay is 91 km (57 miles) from the city of Geelong West. If you plan a holiday in Cape Otway, look for hotels and other accommodation in Geelong West. Geelong West has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











