Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let's have a look at what's cookin' at Big Ben. It's a bit of a mixed bag, so don't get your hopes up too early.

The water temp's sittin' at 80°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We're looking at a slow start, a real slow start. The first week is honestly a write-off. The whole week from Monday the 14th through to Friday the 18th is a total no-go. The swell is either tiny, the wind is a mess, or it's just all over the shop. You've got short-period, weak energy, and mostly cross-shore winds. Not worth paddling out for.

Saturday the 19th sees a big change, but not a good one for most of us. A solid 10ft swell rolls in from the SE, and the energy is pumping (3468). But that's way too much juice for a spot like this. It's an exposed beach/jetty setup, and that kind of size is for the experts only, and even then, the data says it's too big for the break. Sunday the 20th morning is the same story – 10ft of SE swell (4811 energy) is just a wall of water.

Now, Sunday afternoon the 20th and Monday the 21st, that's where we start to see the light. The swell drops to a much more manageable 7ft, swings around to the S, and the energy is still strong (2303). The wind goes light cross-offshore, which should keep things clean. This is excellent for experienced surfers. The period is a long 13 seconds, so that's proper groundswell energy coming through. At a beach/jetty, a long period S swell can sometimes straighten out, but if it's hitting the bank right, it'll have some punch.

Tuesday the 22nd is a full-blown cyclone warning. We're talking a 16ft swell with gale-force onshore winds. Stay well clear.

Things settle down a touch after that, but the quality is gone. From Wednesday the 23rd to Saturday the 26th it's back to poor to marginal conditions with messy wind and small, weak swell.

Then we get another little window. Sunday the 27th shows some promise with a 5ft S swell (1391 energy) and clean cross-off wind, but it's still just marginal. The real standout of the whole run looks like Monday the 28th. A solid 6ft to 7ft S groundswell (2226-2500 energy) with a very long 16-second period. The wind is light and cross-offshore. That's a recipe for some clean, powerful lines for the more experienced crew. Just be aware, that long period can be tricky at the beach.

Tuesday the 29th, we're back to the 10ft range, which is too big again.

So, if you're an experienced surfer, circle Sunday the 20th afternoon and Monday the 21st for the first standout, and then definitely keep your eye on Monday the 28th. That last one is a long-range call, so don't book the week off just yet, but it's looking like the best of the whole run. For everyone else, it's a waiting game.

Rusty.

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