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. There’s a solid run of swell on the way, but you’ve gotta pick your windows. The standout is going to be Bells Beach – Bowl, no surprise there. It’s a reef and point setup, so it’ll handle the size and direction beautifully. Water’s sitting at 57°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year.

Alright, let’s get into it. The first good action kicks off on Wednesday, September 2nd. The morning’s a bit marginal with a 5 ft SW swell and a cross-off breeze, but by the afternoon, the wind swings offshore at 12 mph, the swell bumps up to 5 ft from the SW with a 15-second period, and the energy is pumping at 1220 (moderate). That’s clean and lined up for experienced surfers.

Thursday, September 3rd, is a big one. The morning brings a solid 13 ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and the energy is massive at 8340 (very strong). That’s a serious groundswell, but the wind is cross-off at 16 mph. It’s clean, but at 13 ft, this is strictly for experts. The afternoon drops to 8 ft, still with cross-off wind, but the energy is still strong at 2114.

Friday, September 4th, is the pick of the first week. Morning sees a 8 ft SW swell with a 16-second period, offshore wind at 12 mph, and energy at 2523 (strong). The afternoon is even better – still 7 ft, 16-second period, but the wind drops to 9 mph offshore, making it glassy. That’s your sweet spot for experienced surfers looking for power and shape.

Saturday, September 5th, gets messy. Morning has a 5 ft swell but the wind is howling at 22 mph offshore – that’s fresh and clean, but the energy is only 1118, and the score is weak. By afternoon, it’s cross-off and still 22 mph, with a 6 ft swell. It’s a write-off for paddling, honestly. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday, September 6th, calms right down. Morning has a 3 ft SW swell, but the wind is light cross-off – clean but small. The afternoon is glassy with a 4 ft swell, 14-second period, and energy at 649. It’s a fun, easy session for anyone.

Monday, September 7th, is tiny. Morning has a 3 ft swell, and by afternoon it’s cross-on with a 2 ft swell and energy down to 173. Not worth the paddle. Expect a gap of a couple of days here.

Tuesday, September 8th, brings a surprise. Morning has a 4 ft SW swell, but the period is a very long 18 seconds, with offshore wind and energy at 1271. That’s a groundswell that’ll hold up well at the point, giving long, clean lines. Afternoon gets cross-shore and messy.

Thursday, September 10th, is the next true standout. Morning has a 8 ft SSW swell with a 17-second period, glassy wind, and energy at 4794 (strong). That’s a big, clean groundswell, perfect for the Bowl. The afternoon sees the swell hit 10 ft, still from the SSW, but with a light cross-onshore wind. Still good for experts, but the morning is the window.

Friday, September 11th, is a solid follow-up. Morning has a 5 ft SSW swell, 14-second period, cross-off wind, and energy at 1032. Clean and fun.

The second week settles into smaller, cleaner surf. Saturday, September 12th, has a 5 ft SW swell with offshore wind in the morning. Sunday, September 13th, is glassy with a 3 ft swell – a nice recovery session. The rest of the week features 3 ft to 5 ft swells with good periods, but the wind gets tricky. Wednesday, September 16th, is a write-off with fresh cross-onshore winds and lumpy conditions.

Thursday, September 17th, sees a 8 ft SW swell with a 16-second period and energy at 3725 (strong), but the wind is cross-onshore and choppy. That’s a shame – there’s plenty of power, but the onshore wind ruins it.

Overall, the best sessions are Friday, September 4th, and Thursday, September 10th morning. Both pack size, period, and clean wind. The Bowl is a consistent spot, and it doesn’t stay quiet for long.

Rusty.

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