Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Big Ben over the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the start of this period is a bit of a struggle. The opening days – Thursday the 16th through Saturday the 18th – are a write-off for a proper paddle. We’ve got weak, short-period lumps coming in from the east, around 3ft to 3ft, but the wind is all wrong, mostly onshore or cross-on, and the combined energy is weak (181 to 211). The waves are just a messy, choppy jumble. Not worth wetting a board.

We finally get a sniff of something borderline on Sunday the 19th. The swell nudges up to 4ft, still from the east, but the wind lightens up in the morning to nearly nothing. The combined energy climbs to a moderate 280, and the forecast calls it “marginal.” It’s not great, but it’s the first time the conditions might actually be ridable for a beginner looking for a gentle, knee-high crumble. Monday the 20th is similar in the morning with a light cross-shore, but the energy is still just moderate.

The first real standout, and the best chance of the first week, arrives on Tuesday the 21st. The swell jumps to a solid 6ft with a much longer period of 12 seconds – proper groundswell energy. The wind early is a light cross-shore from the SSW, which should keep the faces reasonably clean. The combined energy hits a strong 825. This is a legit east swell, and for a beginner-friendly spot like the beach/jetty setup at Big Ben, it’s going to offer some fun, punchy lines. The only thing to watch is the size: at 6ft, it’s pushing into the zone where beginners might find it a bit full-on. The crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might have a few others out, but it’s the best bet of the early window.

After that, the swell drops back for a few days, and the wind gets a bit messy with moderate cross-shore breezes from the NE and ENE. The energy stays moderate (403 to 524). It’s not terrible, but it’s not making any serious waves.

Now, looking further out, the second week has a promising but less certain swell that’s worth keeping an eye on. The forecast shows a significant pulse arriving around Tuesday the 28th. The swell is predicted to be 6ft to 6ft from the SSW, with a very long period of 13 to 14 seconds. The combined energy is through the roof – very strong at 1627 – but the wind is forecast to be a moderate cross-shore from the SW. That’s a lot of power, and with that long period, the waves will be stacking up with plenty of push. Remember, long-period swells like this can break a bit straight at a beach/jetty, so it might be a bit of a close-out machine, but for an experienced surfer, the raw power will be there. For beginners, 6ft with that much energy is definitely a no-go. This is one for the experts only on that Tuesday.

The water temp? It’s about average for this time of year, nothing unusual to report.

So, to wrap it up: the first week’s best is Tuesday the 21st with the 6ft east swell and light winds. The second week’s big event is Tuesday the 28th, with a powerful 6ft SSW groundswell, but it’s for the big dogs. The rest of the time is mostly marginal or poor, but there are a couple of windows to get wet if you’re patient.

Stay stoked.

Rusty

Read more