Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, and after a bit of a slow start, this one’s got some serious firepower coming our way. The main event is absolutely Bells Beach – Bowl, and it’s looking like a proper run of classic winter groundswell.

First up, Friday the 21st of August brings a tiny, clean 2ft SW swell with a super long 18-second period. The water is sitting at 56°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year. It’s not big, but it’s glassy and clean with a light offshore, so you’ll get a few long, lazy lines, but overall the energy is pretty weak (374).

The real action kicks off Saturday the 22nd of August, and it’s a standout. We’re talking a solid 13ft SW swell, and while the wind is a bit cross-off in the morning, it’s still clean. The combined energy is massive (8,649), so this is a powerful, beefy swell. This is expert-only territory. Unless you’ve got the skills and the board for it, watch from the cliffs. The afternoon gets a bit more cross-shore, but still a solid 13ft.

Sunday the 23rd of August is a sweet spot. The swell drops to a more manageable 5ft in the morning, still from the SW with a 14-second period, and the wind swings light NW offshore. Afternoon holds at 5ft with a 16-second period and light cross-off winds. This is your classic Bells: clean, chunky, and offering up some beautiful, rippable walls. The energy is strong (1,218 - 1,735), but it’s not the absolute peak of the big stuff.

The rest of the week (Monday 24th through Thursday 27th) is a bit of a waiting game. Swell drops to the 2ft to 4ft range, with mostly clean conditions but lower energy. Not a write-off, but definitely not the highlight.

Now, here’s where we really get cooking again. Friday the 28th of August morning has a nice 4ft SW swell with a 17-second period and a clean offshore breeze. The energy is solid (1,098), and it’s a great sign of things to come. Then, Sunday the 30th of August is a big, big standout. The morning brings a clean 6ft SSW swell with a 16-second period, but the afternoon is the real gem. We’re looking at 7ft SSW swell, 16-second period, and the wind goes glassy. That’s a perfect, clean, powerful groundswell hitting the Bowl. The energy is enormous (2,331 to 2,593). This is the session to circle on the calendar. It’s a long period swell, so it’ll be pitching hard and hollow on the reef – proper expert stuff.

The run continues into the first week of September. Monday the 31st of August morning has a clean 6ft SSW swell with a strong offshore, and Wednesday the 2nd of September afternoon is another standout. You’re looking at an 8ft SW swell, 14-second period, with light winds. The energy is massive (3,257). Again, this is big, powerful, and for experienced surfers only.

Thursday the 3rd of September afternoon has a massive 7ft SSW swell with an 18-second period, and the energy is through the roof (5,926). This is a very long period groundswell, and it’s going to be breaking with serious power. The wind is a light cross-onshore, but for a wave this size, it’s not a deal-breaker. It’s a monster.

The outlook starts to fade slightly from Friday the 4th of September, with the swell holding around 6ft but the winds getting stronger and more cross-off. By Saturday the 5th of September, the winds are onshore and strong, making for poor conditions.

So, the absolute best of the best? Lock in Sunday the 30th of August afternoon for the glassy, pristine 7ft groundswell, and Wednesday the 2nd of September afternoon for that massive 8ft clean swell. Don’t sleep on the Saturday the 22nd of August for the pure, raw power, but that’s for the big dogs only.

Rusty.

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