Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Well, if you’ve been waiting for a window at Big Ben, you’re gonna have to be patient. The first week or so is rough. The surf kicks off with a massive pulse on Wednesday the 5th of August – we’re talking a solid 13ft of SE swell, period around 14 seconds, and the energy meter is absolutely pegged at 5816. That’s a huge, powerful groundswell. But here’s the thing – it’s just too big for this spot. That combined energy is intense, and for a beginner-friendly break, that’s a no-go. The wind is a cross-shore from the ENE at 16 mph, which won’t help clean it up either. Don’t even think about paddling out there unless you’re a pro, and even then, it’s sketchy.

Thursday the 6th sees the swell drop to 8ft from the SSE, still packing a punch with 2515 energy, but the wind goes cross-shore and then cross-on, and the conditions are marginal at best. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is spot on for the time of year, so no surprises there. The whole first week is a mess of middling to poor conditions, with most days scoring low. The swell stays around 6ft to 7ft through the weekend and into early next week, but the wind is never your friend – it’s either onshore, cross, or just too strong. By Monday the 10th, the wind cranks up to 19 mph from the NNE, but it’s offshore, giving you clean waves. The swell is 6ft to 7ft from the east, period around 11-12 seconds, and energy is moderate to strong (1600-1830). It’s better, but still not a standout.

The real standout, and I mean the *only* one worth circling on your calendar, is Wednesday the 12th of August. The morning shows a 10ft NE swell, period of 10 seconds, and the energy is 3349 – that’s strong. The wind is offshore from the NNE at 19 mph, promising clean faces. The wave comment even says the wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for the break. At 10ft, this is expert territory. If you’re a beginner, stay on the beach. If you’re experienced, this could be a rare session if you can handle the power. The afternoon stays similar, with a cross-shore wind and lumpy chop, but still big.

After that, the bottom falls out. From the 13th onward, the swell drops into the 3ft to 5ft range, energy craters to below 1000, and the wind is consistently cross or onshore with a chop. By the 14th and 15th, we’re looking at poor surf conditions with scores of zero. There’s a tiny bump on the 18th with a 5ft to 7ft short-period swell (7-8 seconds), but the wind is moderate cross-shore, and it’s just not worth the drive. The last few days of the forecast into the 20th show a slight uptick to 6ft to 7ft from the SSE with some clean offshore wind, but nothing special.

Overall, it’s a lean 16 days. The only true heat-check is Wednesday the 12th, but it’s a beast. For the rest, you’re either dealing with too much swell, too little swell, or wind that ruins it. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because this stretch looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing with all that cross-shore wind and chop.

Rusty.

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