Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, grab a coffee and settle in, ‘cause I’ve got the full run-down on what’s coming for Bells Beach. This is a solid 16-day window, and there’s plenty to get excited about for the experienced crew.

The biggest story here is the groundswell that’s gonna push through mid-week, starting Wednesday the 9th. It’s a proper pulse of energy from the SW, with a long period, so Bells Bowl is going to be firing. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

Alright, let’s run through it. Tuesday morning the 8th kicks off with a clean 3ft SW groundswell – 18-second period, cross-off wind, and the wave energy is moderate (1070). It’s a nice, clean start for the experienced surfer, but the real juice is still to come. Tuesday afternoon gets a little lumpy as the wind swings cross-shore.

Wednesday the 9th is where things get serious. The morning is already a solid 8ft from the SSW with a 16-second period, but the wind is a strong cross-shore at 19 mph, so it’s lumpy. The wave energy is strong (4681). But the real standout is Wednesday afternoon: a massive 15ft SW groundswell with an 18-second period. The combined energy is very strong (17064). This is a serious, expert-only swell. The wind is still cross-shore, so it’s not going to be glassy, but for a big wave charger, this is a peak. The size alone makes it only for the experts.

Thursday the 10th hangs on with a solid 8ft SSW swell in the morning, but the wind is cross-shore and it’s not clean. The afternoon gets worse with a cross-onshore wind making it choppy. Not the day to get excited.

Friday the 11th morning is a real gift. The swell has dropped to a very manageable 5ft from the SSW, but the wind is glassy – absolute perfection. The wave energy is still moderate (947). This is a standout session for the experienced surfer who wants the power without the chaos. The afternoon turns onshore from the SE, so get out early.

Saturday the 12th is another beauty. Clear skies, 5ft SW groundswell in the morning and a light cross-off wind. It’s clean. The afternoon is even better: glassy, 5ft SW, and a very clean surface. The combined energy is moderate (993). This is one of the best windows of the whole forecast.

Sunday the 13th is a bit of a comedown – 4ft SW, clean but a bit weaker. The swell drops off through Monday the 14th, with small 2ft waves. The second week starts to build again.

From Tuesday the 15th to Wednesday the 16th, there’s a messy, lumpy cross-shore swell, not worth paddling out for. But then Thursday the 17th morning brings a clean, offshore wind with a 5ft SW groundswell – 15-second period. The wave energy is moderate (848). It’s clean and fun. That pattern continues into Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th with clean offshore winds and building 4ft to 4ft SW groundswells, all with moderate energy.

The real standout in the second week is Monday the 21st. The morning is glassy, with a 6ft SW groundswell (16-second period) and the wave energy is strong (1631). This is a premium session for experienced surfers. The wind is perfect, the swell is solid. The afternoon goes cross-onshore, so again, the morning is the pick.

Tuesday the 22nd is another clean, offshore morning with a 5ft SW groundswell, 17-second period. Excellent conditions. The rest of the week eases off, with the last entry on Wednesday the 23rd showing a cross-off wind and a 5ft SW groundswell, but the wind is a bit stronger.

So, to wrap it up: If you’re an experienced surfer, the absolute standouts are:
- Friday morning the 11th – glassy, 5ft SSW. Perfect.
- Saturday the 12th – all day, especially the glassy afternoon.
- Monday the 21st morning – glassy, 6ft SW groundswell. That’s a proper session.

For the big wave crew, Wednesday afternoon the 9th is a monster, but only for the brave. The crowds at Bells can be a problem sometimes, so keep that in mind.

Rusty.

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