Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks at Big Ben.

Overall, it's a mixed bag. We've got a decent run of clean, small waves kicking things off, but then a big, messy, and eventually oversized swell moves in for the second week that’s really only for the brave or the kite crew. The first week is where the real surf is.

We start off on Wednesday the 26th of August with a clean morning. The swell is a modest 3 ft from the SSW with a 12-second period, feeling pretty weak but delivering a decent amount of energy. The wind is a light cross-off, and the water temp is about average for the time of year. It’s not big, but it looks fun and clean. The afternoon gets a bit choppy with a stronger cross-breeze, so get out early.

Thursday the 27th has a couple of nice windows. The morning is a bit sketchy with a risk of storms, but the WSW wind is cross-off, keeping the 2 ft S swell clean. The afternoon actually looks better: a 3 ft SSW swell with a light cross-off breeze from the NNE. That’s a solid window for a small-wave session.

Friday the 28th is another clean morning, with a 3 ft easterly swell and light winds. The afternoon fades a bit into marginal territory.

Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are pretty ordinary. Saturday is blown out by a cross-shore wind, and the swell drops to 2 ft. Sunday is glassy but tiny, with only 2 ft of weak E swell. You could probably find a longboard wave, but it’s flat by any standard.

The first week has a couple of subtle highlights. The best of the bunch is likely Wednesday morning the 26th. The swell is clean, the 3 ft SSW swell is well-directed for this beach/jetty setup, and with a cross-off wind, it’s the most user-friendly wave of the week. The morning of Thursday the 27th is also a standout for the same reasons, just a touch smaller. Keep in mind the crowds are possible here, so get in early.

Heading into the second week, things get weird. Monday the 31st of August has a small, clean 1 ft swell with a very long 15-second period. That long period will make it a bit fat and straight on a beach setup, but it’s sparkly. Tuesday the 1st of September sees a bump in size to 4-4 ft, but the wind goes junk, making it a marginal call.

Then from Wednesday the 2nd of September, the swell pumps up. On the 2nd, we see 7 ft SSW swell but with a strong cross-onshore wind, making it choppy and messy. The energy is huge, but the quality is poor. This pattern continues into the 3rd and 4th with 6 ft to 4 ft swells, but the wind is always on it. Honestly, this setup over 5 ft with onshore wind looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The real bomb hits on Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th of September. The swell builds to 10 ft, then 15 ft from the SSE with a very long 14-second period. The energy readings are massive. The file says the break is too big. This is expert-only territory, and even then, the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s going to be a washing machine. The swell direction is also a bit off for this break’s optimum.

By the 9th and 10th, the swell drops back to 7 ft and then 4 ft, but the wind is still strong and cross-shore, keeping things messy. There’s a promising but less certain window on Saturday the 5th of September with a clean 2 ft to 3 ft swell and light cross-off winds, but it’s a long way out.

So, to sum it up: the first few days are your best bet for clean, fun waves. The second week is a write-off for the average surfer.

Rusty.

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