Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Big Ben. This is a beach and jetty setup, exposed to the swell, but it’s inconsistent – it doesn’t fire all the time, so we gotta be patient.

The next 16 days start off pretty quiet. We’re looking at a long stretch of nothing much. From Friday the 17th right through to the end of next week, the surf is tiny and the wind is messy. There’s a bit of energy around, but it’s all cross-onshore or onshore, keeping things choppy and poor. The water temp is sitting at 77° which is pretty average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Wednesday the 22nd in the morning. The wind goes light cross-offshore, the swell is a clean 3 ft from the east, and the period is 10 seconds. The combined energy is moderate at 235. It’s not huge, but it’s clean, and that’s a rarity. That’s the only window in the first week where you’d actually want to paddle out.

Then we hit a dry spell again until the 26th of July. That Sunday morning, the swell jumps to 6 ft from the SSE with a 14-second period – that’s proper groundswell. Energy is strong at 1407. The wind is cross-shore and light, so it’s a bit lumpy but surfable. This is for the experienced crew, as it’s over 5 ft. The long period means it’ll be better on the point or out at the reef, but at a beach break like this, it could wall up and close out. Still, it’s the best we’ve seen.

The real standout, though, is Saturday the 1st of August. The morning is glassy – dead calm, no wind. The swell is 7 ft from the SSW, but the period is short, only 7 seconds. That’s a bit of a trade-off: it’s big for sure, over 8 ft, so experts only, and the short period means it’ll be a bit walled and fast. But the glassy conditions are a massive win. The combined energy is strong at 710. This is the best on offer, no doubt, but it’s a long-range call, so keep an eye on it.

For the beginning of August, the 31st of July also has some size – 8 ft and 8 ft – but the period is short and the wind is onshore, so it’s not going to be pretty. The 1st is the one to aim for.

Overall, this is a 16-day outlook with a lot of blanks. The consistency is low, so if you’re desperate, the Wednesday morning the 22nd is your best bet for a small clean wave. For the bigger stuff, wait for the 26th or the 1st of August.

Rusty.

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