Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Big Ben has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a bit of a rough start, but we’ve got a couple of windows that might just be worth a paddle.

The forecast kicks off with a messy and energetic system. We’re seeing a big pulse of swell from the 6th of September, but it comes with a heap of rain and strong cross-onshore winds. The water temp is sitting at 83°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit. That first few days, from Sunday the 6th right through Monday the 7th, the swell is pushing 10 ft to 12 ft from the E and S, with a combined energy reading of 906 to 2256. That’s a lot of power, but with 19 to 22 mph cross-onshore winds and heavy rain, it’s a write-off for paddling. Honestly, with that kind of size and strong onshore wind at a beach/jetty setup, this looks more like a kite surfer’s playground than a surfer’s.

By Tuesday the 8th, things ease back a touch. The swell drops to 7 ft from the S, with period around 9 seconds, and the wind swings cross-shore at a lighter 9 to 12 mph. The energy is still moderate at 827-934. The conditions are still marginal, though – there’s a bit of chop on the water. This trend continues into Wednesday the 9th, with 8 ft to 10 ft SSW swell, but the wind stays fresh and cross-shore, keeping things lumpy.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Thursday the 10th looks like our first real window. The swell has dropped to a cleaner 4 ft in the morning and 3 ft in the afternoon, from the S, with a period of 8 seconds. The wind turns light cross-offshore from the NNE at 9 mph, and the wave comment calls it "clean". The combined energy is 402 in the morning, dropping to 294 in the afternoon. It’s not a huge swell, but for a beginner-friendly spot like Big Ben, that’s actually a decent size, and clean conditions make it the standout of the whole run. The crowd factor says "sometimes" here, so you might share it with a few others, but it’s worth the paddle.

After that, we hit a long, flat spell. From Friday the 11th all the way through to Saturday the 19th of September, the swell stays tiny – mostly under 3 ft, with periods that drop from 14 seconds down to 9 seconds. The wind is often cross or onshore, and the wave comments are consistently "poor surf conditions" or "marginal". That’s a solid nine days of mostly nothing to get excited about. The energy readings are weak to moderate, dropping as low as 103. There are a few moments, like Friday morning the 11th with a clean 2 ft easterly groundswell (14-second period) and light offshore wind, but the swell is just too small to hold up. That long period at a beach/jetty will also mean it breaks pretty straight.

Towards the very end of the run, on Sunday the 20th of September, we see a tiny uptick. The swell is still only 2 ft from the E, with a period of 9 seconds, but the wind goes glassy in the afternoon. The combined energy is down to 90, so it’s weak, but for a sunrise or late afternoon session on a longboard, it could be a fun little skeg-dunker.

In short: the best bet is Thursday the 10th of September for cleaner, smaller waves. The rest of the period is mostly a write-off, with a long gap of flatness from the 11th through the 19th. Keep an eye on the forecasts – it tends not to stay this quiet forever.

Rusty.

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