Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but there’s a proper monster lurking in the second week that’s got my heart racing. Let’s get into it.

We kick off on Thursday, July 30th, with a solid pulse of SSW groundswell at Bells Beach – Bowl. The morning sees a 5 ft swell, period a meaty 13 seconds, with a west wind keeping it cross-off and clean. The energy’s moderate at 837, and the water’s sitting at 57°F, which is pretty average for this time of year. It’s a solid, rippable wave for the advanced crew, but crowds are possible here, so pick your peak. The afternoon drops a touch to 5 ft, still clean, but the tide might get a bit tricky.

Friday, July 31st, is a real treat for the early session. Morning brings 4 ft of SW swell with a cross-off breeze, nice and clean. Then the afternoon goes glassy, with a 3 ft SSW swell and a 5 km/h SSE wind – that’s as good as it gets for a Friday session. The period is 12 seconds, so there’s a bit of shape to play with.

Saturday, August 1st, is where things get interesting. The morning is small, only 2 ft, but the period is a very long 17 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The break can feel a bit straight with that kind of period, but it will push through. The afternoon, though, is a standout. The swell jumps to 5 ft, still from the SW with that 17-second period, and the combined energy goes through the roof to 1724 (strong). It’s clean, and the wind is a light cross-off. This is one of the best windows of the whole run: excellent conditions for experienced surfers.

Sunday and Monday, August 2nd and 3rd, are a bit of a mixed bag. The swell hangs around 4 ft to 5 ft, but the wind picks up to 20-25 km/h, making it less clean. Monday morning has a light offshore, but the rain and moderate breeze take the shine off. Not a write-off, but you’ll be hunting for the cleanest corners.

From Tuesday, August 4th, through to the 10th, the surf drops off. We’re looking at waist-to-chest high waves, mostly 2 ft to 3 ft, with periods all over the place. The wind is a constant cross-off or offshore, so it’s clean, but the energy is weak (around 300-600). There’s a nice moment on the afternoon of August 5th – a 2 ft swell with an 18-second period, very long, and clean. It’s a rights point wave, so that long period will wrap in nicely. Also, the morning of Friday, August 7th, is glassy: 4 ft, 14 seconds, and a dead east wind at 5 km/h. That’s a cracking little session.

Now, here’s the one you’ve been waiting for. Tuesday, August 11th. The morning shows a 6 ft SW swell, period 17 seconds, with a light offshore wind from the NW. That’s excellent. But the afternoon… the afternoon is a beast. 12 ft of SW groundswell, period 16 seconds, and the combined energy is a staggering 8951 (very strong). The wind is a glassy offshore from the NNW at just 5 km/h. This is for experts only – over 8 ft means it’s big and powerful. If you’re looking for a life-changing session, this is it. The setup is a reef and point, which will handle that long period beautifully.

Wednesday, August 12th, the swell backs off a bit but still has some punch. Morning is 4 ft, clean, but the afternoon brings 8 ft with a cross-on wind, making it a bit messy. The rest of the week into August 14th sees dropping swell, but with some very long period energy (18-21 seconds) and light cross-on winds. It’s clean, but the swell direction is a bit off and the size is inconsistent. Not a total loss, but you’ll need to be picky.

Overall, the standout is the afternoon of August 11th – that’s your big, clean, expert-level swell. The afternoon of August 1st is another top pick, with strong energy and clean conditions. Everything else is a mix of fun, clean waves, but nothing that’ll blow your mind.

Rusty, signing off.

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