Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, grab your wettie, let’s have a look at the next couple of weeks at Bells Beach – Bowl. It’s a proper reef and point setup, exposed to the south-west, so when it’s on, it’s world-class. The water’s sitting at 57° which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year, no surprises there.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start. Saturday the 18th is actually looking all right to get out there. The Bowl will have a clean 3 ft swell from the SW, with a light offshore breeze in the morning, turning glassy by the arvo. The combined energy is moderate at 382, so there’s enough push to make it fun. It’s not huge, but it’s clean and workable.

Sunday the 19th drops right off – tiny 2 ft waves, and while it’s glassy in the afternoon, it’s pretty ordinary. Monday the 20th is similar, small and clean but nothing to get excited about. That run of small, clean conditions hangs around through Tuesday the 21st, which sees a little bump back up to 3 ft from the SW with a 14-second period and moderate energy (341). Still not a standout, but a nice, gentle offshore breeze will keep it tidy.

Wednesday the 22nd gets a bit weird – the wind picks up and we get a lumpy 4 ft in the afternoon with some rain, but the real story is what’s coming. Thursday the 23rd is when it gets serious. The swell jumps to a solid 12 ft from the SW, with a 14-second period. That’s a lot of water moving – the combined energy is a massive 7077 in the morning. However, the wind is cross-offshore and strong, around 15 mph. This is expert territory only; if you’re not on your game, stay on the sand. It’s big, raw, and powerful.

Friday the 24th drops a little – still a chunky 7-7 ft SW groundswell, but the cross-off wind remains strong at 15 mph. It’s still only for the experienced crew. Saturday the 25th is the real standout in this forecast. The swell eases to a manageable 5-6 ft from the SSW, the wind turns offshore in the afternoon, and the energy is still punchy at 784. That’s your best window for a proper session without getting hammered.

Sunday the 26th through to Tuesday the 28th is a mixed bag. Sunday morning is okay at 3 ft with offshore wind, but it drops off quickly. Monday the 27th sees a spike back to 10 ft from the SW on Monday afternoon, but the wind is cross-shore and messy. Tuesday the 28th is huge again – 13 ft SW swell with an onshore wind – that’s a full-on, blown-out mess, only for the madmen.

After that, it fades. Wednesday the 29th to Thursday the 30th are small and pretty ordinary. Then, Friday the 31st morning surprises us – glassy conditions, a clean 5 ft from the SSW, and moderate energy (938). That’s another good one.

But the real highlight of the whole run lands on Saturday the 1st of August and Sunday the 2nd of August. Saturday morning is absolute glass, with a 5 ft SSW groundswell, combined energy of 1289, and a very long period of 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell – long lines, plenty of power, and clean as a whistle. Sunday morning is nearly as good – 5 ft from the SW, a 17-second period, light offshore wind, and energy at 1663. These two mornings are the absolute cream of the crop. The long period means the sets will be widely spaced, making the paddle out easier, and the waves will have real shape and drive off the point. Expect a few more people out there – it’s a crowd favourite for good reason.

So, to sum it up: get out there Saturday the 18th for a clean, fun session, but the real standouts are Saturday the 1st of August and Sunday the 2nd of August – glassy, solid, and absolutely world-class conditions at the Bowl.

Rusty

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