Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's take a look at what's coming down the pipe for Big Ben. It's a beach and jetty setup, exposed to the south-east, but it's inconsistent here, so you gotta wait for the right windows.

Right off the bat, the water temp is running pretty average for this time of year, nothing weird there.

The first half of the week is looking pretty average. Monday the 6th and Tuesday the 7th have some cross-onshore wind making things choppy and messy. The swell energy is actually building nicely – we're looking at moderate wave energy, but the wind just isn't playing ball. Not worth paddling out.

Wednesday the 8th and Thursday the 9th bring a rise in size, with the swell pushing up to 7-7ft from the SSE and S, with a very long period of 16 seconds. That's proper groundswell energy, but again, the wind is cross-onshore or onshore, leaving a bit of wind bump on the face. For a beach break, that long period is gonna make it close out a bit, too.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th are the standout days. The swell really cranks up. Friday morning you're looking at a solid 10ft from the south, 16-second period, and the wave energy is pumping hard. The wind is light and onshore in the morning, but the forecast says the conditions are favorable. The only catch? At 10ft, this break is going to be too big for beginners – this is expert territory only. Saturday the 11th stays big at 8-10ft from the SSW, with a super long 17-second period and energy still pumping hard. By Saturday, we get a little more cross-offshore wind, which might clean it up a touch, but it's still a heavy, powerful wave.

We then get a drop-off Sunday and Monday, with the swell fading and the wind turning unfriendly again.

After that, there's a long, flat spell from the 14th through to the 19th of July. The swell drops to under 5ft, period drops to 9-10 seconds, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore or moderate onshore. The energy is weak, and the conditions are poor. It's a genuine lull, and honestly, for a spot like this that's inconsistent, a blank run like that is pretty normal.

There is a little glimmer on Thursday the 16th of July. The swell is only 4ft from the east, period is short at 9 seconds, and the wave energy is weak. But the wind swings north, giving us a cross-offshore breeze, which makes for clean faces. It's small, but it might be the only fun little session in that whole stretch if you're desperate.

The last few days into the 20th and 21st of July see another pulse of swell, but the wind cranks up to 25 mph from the north-northeast. That creates a strong cross-offshore wind, which cleans up the surface but is going to make for a bumpy, blown-out ride. The wave energy is moderate again, but with that kind of wind, it's more of a battle than a session.

Bottom line: your best bet is Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th of July. That's the real juice, with big, powerful south swell and light winds. Don't go near it if you're a beginner.

Rusty.

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