Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and here’s what’s cooking for the local surf over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a solid run of swell coming through, starting with a bit of a slow kick-off then building into some proper size. The standout is the Monday morning, and then again later in the week, so keep your eyes peeled.

Right off the bat, Saturday morning the 8th, Bells Beach – Bowl (Victoria) is already seeing some action. You’ve got a 4ft SW groundswell with a very long 16-second period, and the combined energy is moderate (567). The wind is a light NNE cross-off, so the waves are clean. The water temp is about average for this time of year. It’s a reef and point setup, so that long-period swell is going to wrap in nicely. Watch out though – this spot is for advanced surfers only, and it can get crowded sometimes.

Saturday afternoon the wind picks up a bit, and the score drops right off, so don’t plan on hanging around.

Sunday the 9th looks pretty ordinary – light rain and fresh onshore winds will kill the quality. Swell drops to 2ft and the energy is weak (260). Not worth it.

Now, Monday morning the 10th is the real highlight. The swell is 4ft from the SW, period is a massive 19 seconds – that’s rare and very long period groundswell. The combined energy kicks up to strong (1026). The wind is offshore from the NNW at 12 mph, so you’ve got clean, lined-up waves. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The long period means the sets will be well-spaced, making paddling out easier, and the reef and point break will handle it perfectly. This is the best option in the whole run.

Tuesday the 11th still has some clean 3ft SW swell with offshore winds in the morning, but the energy is moderate (409). It’s good, but not a standout.

Wednesday the 12th sees the swell building again – 5ft SW with a 16-second period. The energy is strong (1225), but the wind is cross-off and a bit fresh, so conditions are marginal. Still, there’s plenty of power.

Thursday the 13th is the second big highlight. Morning has 7ft SW swell and very strong energy (3803) – that’s a lot of water moving. The wind is moderate cross-off, so it’s clean. The afternoon is even better: 7ft SW swell, still excellent for experienced surfers, with a gentle W cross-off. This is expert territory, no doubt.

Friday the 14th stays solid at 7ft SW, but the wind is a bit more side-on, keeping it just marginal.

Saturday the 15th is a glassy morning – 6ft SW swell with zero wind, absolutely glassy. The energy is still strong (1351). That’s a rare treat, but the swell is still big enough that beginners should stay out.

From Sunday the 16th onward, the swell drops and the wind turns onshore, so the quality fades quickly. There’s a gap of a few days of minimal surf, with the next half-decent window coming on Friday the 21st with a small 3ft SW swell and offshore winds, but it’s nothing special.

The final weekend of the 22nd and 23rd is flat and weak, with energy down around 57-64, so don’t bother.

Overall, the best waves are Monday morning the 10th and Thursday the 13th. Get out there if you’ve got the skills.

Rusty.

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