Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for us here. Big Ben’s our only real option so let’s dive into it.

First up, the forecast starts off pretty limp. We’ve got a bit of swell hanging around, but the wind is messy and the conditions are just not cooperating for a decent paddle. You’ll be staring at some weak, choppy lines with very low energy and not much on offer for the first few days. Saturday the 22nd through to Sunday the 23rd, it’s a write-off, with wave heights barely hitting 3 ft to 3 ft and combined energy stuck in the low-to-mid hundreds. Honestly, not worth wetting your wetsuit for.

But then things look like they might turn the corner. The standout moment here, and I mean the real highlight, is looking at Monday morning the 24th of August. The swell gets a proper kick, with the summary height coming in around 5 ft from the SSE, and the period stretching out to a very long 18 seconds. That’s a groundswell, full of power, and the combined energy is way up at 1563. The wind is glassy, dead calm, so it’ll be absolutely pristine. For a break like Big Ben, a long period swell like that could mean cleaner, more defined lines, especially with the optimum direction hitting from the SSE. The water temperature feels about average for the time of year, nothing wild to report. That Monday morning is the one for the experienced crew, as the size is solid and the quality looks excellent.

Now, after that, things get a bit tricky. Tuesday the 25th has a bigger swell, 6 ft to 8 ft, but the wind swings onshore or cross-shore and creates some chop. The energy stays high, but it’s not the same glassy magic. The following days into the end of August see the swell back off and the weather turns pretty grim with thunderstorms and heavy rain, making it a write-off for any decent surfing.

However, looking further out, Sunday morning the 30th of August is another one that has my attention. The swell is pushing 8 ft from the SSE with a period of 12 seconds, giving a combined energy of 1936. And the wind is light and cross-off, keeping things clean. This is big, powerful surf, so it’s one for the experts again. It gets even bigger into the start of September, but those swells on the 31st and 1st are predicted to be too big for this break, with winds turning onshore and making it a bit of a mess.

After that big pulse, it settles down into a cleaner but smaller pattern through the first week of September. The winds look better, but the waves drop off. There’s a gap of a few days with no real standouts. The best of the bunch for the second week is Wednesday morning the 2nd of September, with a 7 ft swell from the east and a clean, cross-off wind. It’s solid, but not the glassy perfection of that Monday morning.

So, to wrap it up: the clear winner is Big Ben on Monday the 24th of August for the morning session. It’s a classic glassy, long-period groundswell with heaps of energy. That’s the one to circle on your calendar. The Sunday the 30th is a good backup if you want some power. For the beginners, this is either too small and messy or too big and powerful. Keep an eye on the long-range stuff, but the near-term is looking the best.

Rusty.

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