Apollo Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, hold onto your boards, 'cause we've got a real rollercoaster of a forecast coming in for Apollo Bay. The long-range has some serious juice, but you're gonna need some patience.

The main story is a big, long-period SW groundswell that's gonna be pulsing in and out. The energy is heavy, but it's all about the wind cooperating. The real standout is shaping up for the 16th, but let's break it down.

So, we start with a bit of a tough one. Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th of September are on the table, but it's a battle. We've got a solid 10ft SW swell on Friday with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is a thumping 3866. That's a lot of water moving, but the wind is howling from the NW at 12 mph, making it a cross-offshore breeze. The reports say it's marginal, and I'd agree. It's gonna be bumpy and hard to get into. Saturday is even worse, with the wind gusting to 22-25 mph, making it a real chore, even though the swell is still there. If you're a beginner, stay well away. This is for the seasoned locals only.

Now, we get a bit of a reprieve. Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th is where it gets interesting. The swell drops slightly to 6ft on Sunday morning, but the wind goes light offshore from the W at 9 mph. The reports say "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers" and I'm feeling it. The energy is still moderate at 1469, but that clean offshore wind will have Apollo Bay lined up nice. Monday morning is also looking tidy with a 7ft WSW swell and a moderate offshore breeze. These are the best of the first week.

After that, we hit a real flat spell. From Tuesday the 8th, the swell drops, and the wind starts to turn onshore or cross-shore. We get a glassy morning on the 8th with 4ft SW swell, but it's weak. Then from the 9th to the 14th, the wind is a mess, swinging from cross-shore to onshore, and the swell direction goes all over the shop. The combined energy drops to as low as 331 on the 13th. It's a dead period. Four or five days of nothing to write home about.

Alright, but the payoff is coming. The real standout is Wednesday the 16th of September. The morning is looking like a winner. We've got a 7ft SW swell, a 17-second period, and a gentle offshore breeze from the W. The combined energy is a solid 2855, and the reports say "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." This is the one. The water is gonna be clean, the lines are gonna be long, and that long period means the sets will have real power. It's a point break setup, so it'll handle that long period groundswell perfectly.

Now, the 17th of September is a whole different beast. The swell is forecast to be a massive 23ft with a 17-second period. The combined energy reading is 45327, which is insane. The problem is, the report says the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. The wind is cross-shore, so it's not even clean. This is a big-wave, expert-only situation, and even then, it's going to be a washing machine. I'd be watching from the car park. For a normal surfer, the 16th is the day.

The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so a 3/2mm wetsuit will do you fine.

The 18th and 19th are still offering big swell (13ft), but the wind is a bit more cross-off, so it's still clean but the energy is dropping off. The 19th is a 13ft WSW swell with a short 13-second period, which will be a bit more walled up and harder to handle.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a write-off with a couple of okay windows on Sunday and Monday. The second week is a flat spell until a real standout on Wednesday the 16th. That's your day. The 17th is for the kamikaze crew only. Keep an eye on the charts, but for now, I'd be booking the 16th off.

Rusty.

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