Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Right off the bat, the standout is Bells Beach – Bowl. This is a reef and point setup that’s exposed to the SW, and we’ve got a couple of really solid days coming up. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing weird there.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but it kicks off proper Wednesday the 15th. The swell is a clean 6ft from the SW with a long 15-second period, giving it some real grunt. The combined energy is a strong 1237, and with a cross-off breeze, the surf is gonna be excellent for those who know what they’re doing. This is advanced territory, so don’t paddle out unless you’re confident. Thursday the 16th morning is even better – 6ft SW swell, 15-second period, and the energy jumps to 1555. Clean again. Thursday afternoon loses a bit of gloss with a cross-on wind, but it’s still surfable.

Friday the 17th is the real gem. Morning starts with a 5ft SW groundswell, 16-second period, and a light offshore wind from the NW. That’s a top-tier combo. Afternoon goes glassy, with 5ft and no wind at all. The waves will be clean, lined up, and powerful. This is the best on offer in the first week.

Saturday the 18th drops off fast. Swell drops to 3ft, and the energy is down to 387. Still surfable in the morning with a light offshore, but it’s a big step down. Sunday the 19th through Tuesday the 22nd is a real flat spell – we’re looking at tiny 2ft to 3ft waves. The energy is weak, under 300. Not worth the drive unless you’re desperate for a float.

Then we get a bit of a pulse on Thursday the 23rd. The swell jumps back to 5ft to 6ft from the SW, but the wind is a moderate cross-off, and the guidance flags it as marginal. The energy is moderate (951-1239), so it’s not a washout, but don’t expect the quality of the previous week.

The real second-week standout is Friday the 24th of July. This is a big one. We’re looking at a 7ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period. The combined energy is a massive 2379 in the morning and 2430 in the afternoon. That’s serious power. The wind is a gentle offshore in the morning, shifting to a cross-off later. This is only for expert surfers – 7ft at Bells with that period is a heavy, grinding wave. If you’ve got the skills, this is the best session of the entire outlook.

Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th see the swell dropping, but Sunday afternoon throws an 8ft SW swell at you. The energy is 2909, but the wind is a light cross-onshore, and the guidance says it’s marginal. The size is intimidating, but the conditions won’t be perfect. It’s a brute-force sort of day.

Monday the 27th cleans up again with a 6ft SSW swell and a light cross-off. A good option for the weekday surfer. After that, Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th are poor to ordinary, with weak energy and onshore winds. The final day, Thursday the 30th, is a small, clean 3ft SSW swell – a fun little finisher if you’re on a longboard.

Bottom line: The best windows are Friday the 17th for a classic, clean, powerful session, and Friday the 24th for the big-wave hunters. The gap between Sunday the 19th and Wednesday the 22nd is a flat spell of about 4 days with nothing worth chasing.

Rusty.

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