Bali Bay (Glen Reef) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, your local surf reporter, looking at what's coming down the pike for Bali Bay (Glen Reef). Let’s get into it.

First things first, the water is running a bit colder than normal for this time of year, about 1° off the usual mark, so you might feel that chill on the first paddle out.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start here. The good stuff kicks off on Thursday, July 30th. Thursday morning is looking like a solid session. We’re seeing a clean, glassy 5ft swell from the SW, with a solid 13-second period. The energy is moderate (815), and with that glassy wind, it’s going to be smooth out there. This is a good, clean option to get into the rhythm. Thursday afternoon gets a bit questionable with a cross-shore wind, so morning is the call.

Friday, July 31st, stays consistent with a smaller 4ft SW swell in the morning. The wind is light and clean, keeping things tidy. It’s not huge, but that glassy session Friday afternoon is a real treat for a cruiser session.

Now, listen up, because Saturday, August 1st, is the first true standout. Saturday morning is going to be magic. We’ve got a 4ft SW groundswell with a long 14-second period, and the wind is glassy. The energy is moderate (585), and that clean, glassy surface is going to make for some perfect, peeling lines. This is the best of the first week, hands down. The crowd situation is "sometimes," so you know you'll have some company for these clean waves, but it’ll be worth it.

Monday, August 3rd, is another gem. A glassy morning with a 4ft WSW swell, and again a long 14-second period. The energy jumps up a bit (857). That calm, glassy wind is a major positive. Another morning to tick on the calendar.

From here, the pattern holds with smaller, clean swells through Tuesday and into the second week. Then things get serious.

Wednesday, August 5th, the swell jumps up to 12ft from the SW with a 15-second period. The energy is strong (4559). This is big, powerful groundswell, and it’s too big for most. This is strictly for the experts, and the wind is a moderate cross-off, so it will be clean but heavy. Thursday, August 6th, is still huge at 8ft to 13ft, with strong energy (3215-5889). This is big, powerful stuff, and still only for the experienced crew. Friday, August 7th, sees a 10ft SW groundswell with a glassy morning, which is an incredible sight for the brave.

After that big pulse, the forecast gets messy. Starting Saturday, August 8th, and through Monday, August 10th, the wind turns onshore and gets strong, with rain. The quality drops out. This stretch is blown out and messy. The energy is still there (2022-7688), but it’s just not for paddling. Given the beach-and-reef setup and the strong cross-shore winds, this part of the outlook looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

We get a reset on Tuesday, August 11th. Tuesday morning is back to glassy with a 8ft S swell, and that’s a good, clean option for experienced surfers again. The pattern then settles into cleaner, smaller conditions through the rest of the window, with the 14th of August showing a nice 6ft WSW swell with clean conditions to round things out.

So, to sum it up: the standout is Saturday, August 1st, morning. That glassy, 4ft SW groundswell with a long period is the cleanest, most user-friendly wave in the whole run. For the big wave hunters, the morning of August 7th with that 10ft glassy groundswell is the big game target.

Rusty.

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