Apollo Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break down what’s heading for Apollo Bay. The next few days are looking like a proper deep-water swell event, with a lot of power from the south-west. You’ll need to be on your game.

We start on Wednesday, 12th August. The morning has a 15ft swell from the west-southwest, with a 16-second period. That’s a ton of energy – the combined energy reading is 11715 (very strong). The wind is offshore and clean, but blowing at 16 mph. This is a big, long-period groundswell. At over 8ft, this is for experts only. The point at Apollo Bay (Australia) will be the spot, but it’s going to be a wild one. The water temp is 57°, which is about average for this time of year.

Thursday, 13th August, is the big one. The morning has a 16ft swell from the SW, with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 15497 (very strong). The wind is offshore again at 16 mph. This is the peak of the swell, and it’s rated as exceptional for expert surfers. The afternoon drops to 10ft, still with 16 mph offshore winds, excellent for the experienced crew.

Friday, 14th August, the swell backs off a bit. The morning has 8ft from the SW, 16-second period, with a gentle offshore breeze (9 mph). The energy is still strong at 3102. This is a better size for strong intermediates, but still a solid groundswell. The afternoon has a light cross-offshore breeze, still clean.

Saturday, 15th August, is a real winner. The morning has 7ft from the SW, 15-second period, with light cross-offshore winds (6 mph). The energy is 2012 (moderate). This is a much more manageable size, and the conditions are clean. This is the best all-round day for experienced surfers who want power without the mayhem.

Sunday, 16th August, the quality drops. The swell is down to 5ft, but the wind turns cross-onshore, bringing small ripples. The energy is 1094 (weak-moderate). It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

From Monday, 17th August, through to Wednesday, 19th August, things go flat and poor. The swell drops below 3ft, with onshore or cross-shore winds. The energy readings are in the low hundreds. This is a real lull, about 3 days with very little to offer.

Thursday, 20th August, things perk up with a small, clean wave. 3ft from the SW, 16-second period, and light offshore winds. The energy is only 368 (weak), but it’s clean. This is a good option for a longboard.

The next real highlight pops up on Tuesday, 25th August. The morning has 6ft from the SW, 16-second period, with a fresh offshore breeze (22 mph). The energy is 3214 (strong). The afternoon jumps to 10ft from the WSW, but with a shorter 10-second period and a strong offshore wind (28 mph). The energy is 4039 (strong). This is a big, punchy swell, but the wind is so strong it’s hard to paddle into. This is for the experts on a big wave setup.

Then on Wednesday, 26th August, another big pulse hits. 15ft from the SW, 14-second period, with fresh cross-offshore winds. The energy is 9542 (very strong). This is again for experts only.

Finally, Thursday, 27th August, looks like a good finish. The morning has 10ft from the SSW, 13-second period, with gentle offshore winds. The energy is 3143 (strong). The afternoon is the real treat: 8ft from the SSW, 13-second period, with glassy conditions – zero wind. The energy is 2236 (moderate). That’s about as clean as it gets.

So, if you’re looking for the best on offer, I’d lock in Saturday, 15th August, for a solid, clean, manageable swell. And for a true, glassy session, keep an eye on the afternoon of Thursday, 27th August. The big days on the 12th, 13th, and 26th are for the absolute experts only.

Rusty.

Read more