Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I've got a good look at the run ahead for the Bells Bowl area. We're kicking off this Wednesday with a small, clean pulse, but don't get too excited yet – the real action is a few days off.

Let's start with a quick summary. The ocean's going to be quiet for a couple of days, then it's going to get absolutely wild. Thursday the 23rd we see a massive jump in size, and that's the standout window for the experienced crew. After that, it slowly drops, but there's a couple more good windows if you time it right.

Alright, let's get into it. The first surfable session is Wednesday morning the 22nd. We've got a 2ft SW swell with a 12-second period, so it's a weak, long-period groundswell. The combined energy is only 178 – that's weak. The water temp is 57°, which is about normal for this time of year. It's clean with a cross-off wind, but the conditions are poor. Not worth paddling out for.

Thursday the 23rd is where it turns on. It's not for the faint-hearted. Thursday morning, the swell jumps to 12ft from the SW, with a 14-second period. The combined energy is a massive 6135 – that's very strong. This is big, powerful, and for experts only. The wind is a cross-off, so it'll be clean but charging. Thursday afternoon drops slightly to 10ft, still huge. If you're a good surfer and you're confident, this is the best the window has to offer. Friday the 24th is still solid, with a 8ft SSW swell, but the wind is a bit stronger. The period is a long 15 seconds, which is fantastic for a point break like Bells. It's still a big day. Saturday the 25th morning sees another 12ft pulse from the SW, but the period drops to 12 seconds, so it's a bit more wind-swell mix. Still huge.

Sunday the 26th, the swell fades to 4ft to 4ft, with a light breeze. It's clean, but small. The real gem for the everyday surfer comes on Monday the 27th. We get offshore winds, NW and WNW, with a 4ft to 4ft SW swell. The period is a nice 12 seconds. The energy is low (376 to 525), but it's clean, the wind is offshore, and it's a much more manageable size. That's the best pick for the intermediate surfer looking for a fun session.

Tuesday the 28th morning is a standout for the more experienced. The swell is 6ft from the SSW with a long 15-second period, giving a combined energy of 1363. The wind is light offshore from the NW, making it clean. The report says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers," and I agree. Tuesday afternoon, the wind swings onshore, so get it in the morning.

After that, the wind turns ugly from the 29th through the 31st, with onshore and cross-onshore winds ruining the quality. The swell drops off, too. The combined energy on the 30th is only 713 and 514, so it's not worth it.

Then we get a nice little run from the 1st of August. Saturday the 1st is a beauty. Clear skies, light N winds, and a 3ft SW swell with a very long 17-second period. The combined energy is 594. It's clean, and the sets will have plenty of push. That's a winner. Sunday the 2nd is similar, but smaller. Monday the 3rd afternoon is another one to circle. The swell is 4ft from the SW, but the period is an incredible 22 seconds. That's a very long period groundswell, and the energy is 2152. The wind is offshore from the NW. The report says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." This is a long-range standout, so it's a bit less certain, but it looks promising.

The 4th of August sees a 6ft SW swell with offshore winds, and the 5th is back to big 10ft, but the period drops to 9 seconds, making it a bit messy. The last few days of the window are small and clean again.

So, the true standout is Thursday the 23rd for the big-wave crew, but for a clean, fun, and manageable session, lock in the morning of Monday the 27th. The long-range window on the 3rd of August afternoon also looks like a real treat.

Rusty.

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