Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Bells Beach – Bowl (reef and point). The water’s sitting at 56°F which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The next 16 days are a mixed bag, but let’s be honest – the first week is a bit of a struggle. From Sunday the 2nd right through to Monday the 10th of August, the surf is mostly small, onshore, or just plain messy. There’s a long period SW groundswell running (16 seconds), but the winds are cross-off or fresh, and the combined energy is weak to moderate (987 to 406). You’ll be scratching for something decent. Tuesday morning the 4th sees a bump to 6ft SW with offshore winds, giving clean conditions and moderate energy (1080), but it’s still a bit average for the Bowl – it’s a spot that needs proper juice. The rest of that week is mostly small (2ft to 4ft) with light winds, so it’s not terrible, just not firing. There’s a good 4-day gap from Wednesday the 5th to Saturday the 8th where the swell drops away and the wind is iffy.

Now, the standout window. Monday the 10th of August is where it gets interesting – a big 12ft WSW swell rolls in (combined energy 9355), but the wind is cross-off, and the waves look clean. The afternoon though, it jumps to 18ft WSW with a cross-shore breeze – that’s too big for this setup, more of a kite-surfing day than a paddle session. The real gem is Tuesday the 11th of August morning: 8ft SW, 16-second period, offshore wind from the W, clean, and the energy is strong (2694). That’s the pick of the run – solid, powerful groundswell with glassy conditions. Wednesday the 12th morning also looks good: 7ft SW, 17-second period (very long), light cross-shore wind, and strong energy (2514). That’s a point-break dream, but the long period might make it a bit straight at the beach, so the Bowl should handle it well.

Looking further out, Friday the 14th of August is another cracker: 8ft SW with offshore winds, clean, and very strong energy (3874). That’s a solid session for experienced surfers. Saturday the 15th has similar size (8ft SW) but the wind turns cross-off and freshens, so it’s a step down in quality. After that, Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th drop off quickly with messy cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions – best to give it a miss.

Overall, the best on offer is Tuesday the 11th morning (8ft SW, offshore, clean) and Friday the 14th morning (8ft SW, offshore, clean). Both are for experienced crew only – the swell is big enough to test you. The Bowl is consistent and exposed, so when it lines up, it’s worth the paddle. Crowds are possible on the better days, so get in early.

Rusty.

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