Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey crew, it's Rusty here. Let's stay local and look at what Big Ben has got cooking for the next couple of weeks.

We're kicking things off with a bit of a rusty start, to be honest. The best early window looks to be Monday the 9th of August through to Tuesday the 11th. Monday morning has some solid E swell, around 8ft with a nice 12-second period, and clean cross-off wind from the NNE. That's got some proper energy behind it (1717). Monday afternoon, the wind shifts to a cross-shore, making things a bit bumpier, so the morning is the pick. Tuesday morning is a standout: 7ft of ENE groundswell, period at 11 seconds, and light NNW winds keeping it clean. The energy is still pumping (1433). The water's sitting at a very warm 81°, which is pretty standard for this time of year.

Now, a word on the swell: when it’s over 5ft, it's not really a beginner's playground, and when it hits that 8ft mark, it's getting into the more experienced surfer's zone. Also, that longer period (11-12 seconds) means there's plenty of push, with better-shaped waves and longer lulls between sets, making the paddle-out a bit easier.

After Tuesday, things go pretty average. We've got a stretch from Wednesday the 12th through to Sunday the 16th where the combination of smaller swell, onshore winds, and stormy conditions makes most of it a write-off. You'll see some energy pop on Saturday the 15th with a 10ft E swell, but the finder straight up says it's too big for the break – that's a solid 2497 of energy, and with 12-second periods, it'll be heavy and won't be much fun here. That is definitely expert-only territory, and honestly, it looks more like a kite-surfing setup if the wind plays ball.

We see a little glimmer of hope on Monday the 17th of August. It's smaller, with 3ft to 4ft of short-period E swell, but the wind goes clean off from the NNW in the morning, and then goes glassy in the afternoon. It's a small window, but if you're after a clean, mellow surf, that afternoon glass-off is a beauty.

The second week, from around the 19th, looks patchy. There's another promising, more distant window on Sunday the 23rd of August. Both the morning and afternoon see some clean 4ft SSW groundswell with a very long 12-second period, and light cross-off winds. The energy is moderate (566-619), and the finder says "very good surf conditions". It’s a way off, so treat it as promising but don't lock it in just yet. The swell direction (SSW) is a bit off the optimum for Big Ben, but with those clean conditions, it could still be a sneaky fun one.

If you're out there, keep your eyes on Tuesday the 11th for the best early call, and maybe pencil in that Sunday the 23rd for a potential end-of-run treat.

Rusty, signing off.

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