Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Bells Beach – Bowl. This is a legendary reef and point setup, and it’s exposed to the SW swell, which is exactly what we want. The pattern is pretty clear: we’ve got a slow start, then a few standout windows, especially for the more experienced crew.

The water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing out of the ordinary there.

We’re not seeing much to get excited about right away. The first real chance to paddle out comes Sunday morning, the 6th of September. It’s small, with a clean 3ft SW swell, and a light cross-off wind. The energy is moderate (583), and the waves will be clean, but it’s not going to blow your socks off. The afternoon is a different story – the swell jumps to 8ft from the SW, with a 14-second period. The energy is strong (2955). This is excellent surf, but only for experienced surfers; it’s a bit much for the groms. The wind is a cross-off, so expect some decent shape.

Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th are a mixed bag. Monday is a write-off with strong cross-onshore winds and short-period, choppy slop. Tuesday morning, however, is a real beauty. The 8th of September brings a clean 3ft SW groundswell with a very long 18-second period. The energy is strong (1070). That long period means the waves will have real push and shape, which is perfect for the point here. Light cross-off winds will keep it glassy. Afternoon gets a bit lumpy, but the morning is the pick of that day.

Wednesday the 9th sees the swell pump up to 12ft from the SW with an 18-second period, and the energy is massive (13595). This is huge, powerful, and really only for the experts. The wind is a strong cross-shore, so it’ll be lumpy and challenging. Thursday the 10th is still big, with 10ft to 8ft SSW swell, but the wind stays messy, making it marginal.

Now, Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th of September are the real standouts. Friday morning offers a clean 6ft SSW swell with a 14-second period, light cross-off winds, and strong energy (1364). It’s excellent for experienced surfers. Saturday is even better: both morning and afternoon are firing. The morning has 6ft SSW swell, clean with a light cross-off. The afternoon is the crown jewel: 5ft SSW swell, 16-second period, and a perfect light offshore breeze from the NW. The energy is solid (1266). The waves will be clean, lined up, and the crowd profile says it gets busy sometimes, so get in early for the best of it.

The second week has some promise, but it’s less certain. Sunday the 13th is smaller, around 3ft, but clean. Monday the 14th is a write-off with strong winds and rain. Tuesday the 15th looks like another heavy-hitter: 7ft SSW swell, 16-second period, strong energy (2513), and light winds. That’s a solid one for the experts. The rest of the week fades a bit, with a brief glassy window on Thursday the 17th (3ft, 17-second period, glassy) but it’s small. The weekend of the 19th and 20th has some size, but winds are strong. Monday the 21st of September is the final standout: 8ft SW swell, 18-second period, massive energy (4208), and gentle offshore winds. That’s a fitting end to the run, but again, it’s expert territory.

So, to sum it up: the best of the best is the Saturday afternoon session on the 12th of September. Perfect conditions for a classic Bells day. The Tuesday morning on the 8th and the Monday morning on the 21st are also top-tier, but be ready for the size.

Rusty.

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