Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s shaping up for Bells Beach over the next couple of weeks.

We’re starting off with a bit of a slow period. The first few days are a bit of a write-off for a proper session. The 3rd to the 5th are mostly a no-go, with poor to marginal conditions and persistent cross-off breezes making things messy. The swell is small and junky, so you’re not missing much. It’s a frustrating start, but hang tight.

Things start to perk up a little around the 6th. The morning looks promising with a clean, gentle offshore wind from the NW and a small but long-period groundswell – 16 seconds – pushing in from the SW. The swell is only 2ft, but the combined energy is a modest 213 (weak). It’s not going to be big, but it’ll be tidy. The 7th is even better. The morning has a bit more push with a 3ft SW swell, 16-second period, and light winds, making for very clean conditions. The afternoon turns glassy, with barely a breath of wind, and the 3ft waves will be smooth as silk. That’s likely your best window early on if you’re just looking to get wet.

The real standout, though, is the 10th. The 10th is the one to circle on the calendar. The morning brings a solid 7ft SW groundswell with a 17-second period, and the afternoon goes absolutely ballistic with an 8ft SW swell going glassy with zero wind. The combined energy readings are massive at 2531 and 3403, meaning there’s serious power in the water. This is expert territory, especially at a reef-and-point setup like Bells. The water temperature is about 57°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so don’t forget a good hood and gloves.

The swell keeps pumping through the second week, but the wind gets tricky. The 12th sees another 8ft swell, but with a strong northerly breeze, it’ll be bumpy. The 14th is interesting – the afternoon shows a massive 16ft swell from the SSW, but with a shorter 14-second period. That’s serious power (8738 combined energy), but it’s borderline insane and only for the hardiest crew. The 15th and 16th are still big, with 8ft to 12ft, but cross-shore winds will chop it up.

By the 17th and 18th, we start to see a drop-off. The 18th morning brings a smaller, cleaner 3ft SW swell, which is a nice way to finish the run if the big stuff is too much.

Overall, the 10th is the standout – that afternoon glass-off is the pick of the fortnight. For the brave, the 14th afternoon offers a massive, clean, but very heavy wave. The rest of the second week is more of a mixed bag with strong winds and big, lumpy conditions.

Stay safe out there, and remember, the best waves are the ones you’re on.

Rusty.

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