Big Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a long, hard look at what Big Bay has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a solid run of clean surf coming, but it’s going to take a bit of patience and the right board choice.

The water temperature at Big Bay is sitting at a chilly 56°, which is a whopping 4° colder than average for this time of year. That’s a seriously cold snap, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit, booties, and maybe a hood if you’re planning a long session. It’s not just a little cool; it’s notably cold for the season.

Right out of the gate on Thursday morning, the 20th of August, we are looking at a proper swell. It’s a 10-foot SW groundswell with a 13-second period, packing a ton of energy (combined energy of 3422). The wind is a clean cross-off from the SSE. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers only; 10 feet is well into the “experts only” zone. The water is cold, but the waves will be powerful and lined up. The afternoon holds the same size but the wind turns a bit more southerly; it’s still clean, but tide might be an issue for the best takeoff zones.

Friday the 21st eases off a touch. The morning session with a 7-foot SW swell (11-second period) and light SE cross-off wind will still offer some proper barrels for the brave crew. Energy is still strong (1027). By afternoon it drops to 6 feet, but the wind swings cross-shore from the SW, making it a bit bumpy on the face.

Saturday the 22nd is a down day. The swell drops to 4 feet and the wind goes cross-on from the NW. It’s small and choppy. Not worth rushing for.

Sunday the 23rd is the standout of the first week. The swell jumps back up to 8 feet from the WSW with a 13-second period. The wind is a clean, light cross-off from the SSE. The energy is back up to a very solid 1748. This will be Big Bay at its best for experienced surfers – clean, powerful, and long lines.

Monday the 24th still has some push with a 7-foot SW swell, but the wind is bumping up to 15 mph in the afternoon, making it a bit of a battle for a clean wave. Tuesday the 25th is your second standout. Morning brings a 7-foot SW swell with a lovely 14-second period and offshore SE wind at 9 mph. This is the cleanest it gets for a big swell, with gentle offshore conditions cleaning up every face. Energy is pumping at 2101. The afternoon holds the same quality with a 7-foot WSW swell.

After that, we have a mellow patch from Wednesday the 26th into the start of September. The swell drops under 5 feet. The wind is light and often glassy or cross-off, offering clean but small conditions. The morning of the 27th is glassy with a 4-foot WSW swell, fun for the log but nothing that will get your heart racing. The 30th of August is similar – small but clean in the afternoon.

Then the crystal ball gets a bit blurry, but there is a pulse of serious energy arriving around the 1st of September. Tuesday the 1st shows an 8-foot SW swell from the early morning, building to a massive 12 feet by the afternoon, with a very long 15-second period. The energy is huge (4544). The wind is onshore from the WNW, so the quality will be marginal. This is a heavy, raw ocean. The following two days (2nd and 3rd of September) have strong cross-on winds from the NNW that will make it a choppy, lumpy mess. Honestly, with that much swell and onshore wind, Big Bay is going to look more like a kite-surfing venue than a paddle-surf spot.

After the wind finally cleans up, we get a glassy morning on the 4th of September. The swell drops to a manageable 4 feet with a 12-second period. The wind is calm, glassy. This would be a fantastic session on a small wave board. But that’s a long way off, and forecasts can change.

So, to sum it up: your best bets are Thursday the 20th morning (big and clean for experts), Sunday the 23rd (best all-around quality of the first week), and Tuesday the 25th morning (offshore wind on a solid groundswell). The very end of the forecast looks glassy and fun for small-wave gear, but keep an eye on the wind for the first few days of September because that big swell is coming with a fight.

This is Rusty, signing off. Stay warm, and check the tides before you paddle out.

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