Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty. We’ve got a solid 16-day window of surf ahead, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag with some proper clean windows and a few wild, windy days in between. The standout is Bells Beach – Bowl (Bells-Beach-Bowl), a reef and point setup that’s exposed to the swell and consistent. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is about normal for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The action starts Thursday the 9th, but it’s pretty ordinary – you’re looking at 3 ft from the SW with a cross-on breeze, and the energy is moderate at 493. Not worth paddling out for. Things improve Friday morning the 10th: 3 ft SW, clean, with a light cross-off wind, and the combined energy is still moderate at 421. It’s a good start, but the swell’s small.

Saturday the 11th is a write-off – strong northerly winds, 22 mph gusts, and the swell drops to 2 ft. Sunday the 12th turns proper messy. The morning brings 5 ft SW with a strong breeze at 25 mph, and the energy is moderate (666), but it’s poor conditions. Sunday afternoon, the swell jumps to 10 ft SW, and the energy is strong (4738) – that’s big, expert-only territory, and the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-off.

Monday the 13th is your first real highlight. The morning has 6 ft SW with a long 16-second period, offshore NW wind at 19 mph, and the energy is strong (2355). The waves are clean, but at that size it’s for experienced surfers only. The afternoon holds 6 ft with similar offshore wind and energy at 1439. This is the best stretch of the first week – but it’s big, and it’s a point break, so the long period will make for some proper lines.

Tuesday the 14th is big again – 8 ft SW in the morning, 16-second period, strong energy (3469), and a moderate cross-off wind. The afternoon turns cross-shore with a chop, so go for the morning session. Wednesday the 15th sees a drop to 5 ft and 5 ft, but the wind is cross-on, so it’s a bit bumpy.

Thursday the 16th early is clean with 4 ft SW, and the energy is moderate (511). That’s worth a session if you’re after a mellow paddle. Friday the 17th morning is a standout: 4 ft SW, 16-second period, offshore NNW wind at 6 mph, and moderate energy (832). Clean and glassy for a point break – this is a gem.

The weekend of the 18th and 19th drops off, with 4 ft to 3 ft, moderate energy, and cross-off winds. Not great. Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st are a dead zone – 2 ft and 1 ft, with poor conditions and weak energy. That’s a solid gap of a few days with no real surf to chase.

Then Wednesday the 22nd improves: 3 ft SSW in the morning, with a gentle offshore wind and moderate energy (503). The best is yet to come. Thursday the 23rd is the absolute standout of the whole outlook. The morning has 6 ft SSW, 18-second period, and the energy is strong (2234). The wind is light cross-off, so it’s clean. The afternoon is glassy – 6 ft SSW, 17-second period, and the energy is strong (2229). That’s a classic session, big enough for experienced surfers, but clean as a whistle. Friday the 24th morning holds 6 ft again, but the period drops to 10 seconds, so it’s a bit shorter and more lumpy, with energy still strong (1341). The afternoon jumps to 12 ft SW, but the period is short (10 seconds), and the energy is very strong (4030) – that’s expert-only, and the cross-shore wind will make it a mess.

To wrap it up: the best on offer is Thursday the 23rd, both morning and afternoon, with that 6 ft SSW groundswell, glassy conditions, and a long period. Friday the 17th morning is a close second for a smaller, cleaner day. Everything else is either too big, too windy, or too small.

Rusty.

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