Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty comin' at ya. Let's have a look at what's on the table for Big Ben.

Right off the bat, the first few days are a bit of a write-off. We've got some small, choppy, cross-shore junk from Friday the 21st through to Sunday the 23rd. Not worth paddling out for. The water temp is sitting at a warm 81°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so at least you won't freeze while you're waiting for something decent.

But hold on, because Monday the 24th is where the magic happens. The early morning is looking absolutely pristine. We're talking a solid 5 foot of groundswell rolling in from the SSE, with a super long 19-second period. That's proper energy, pushing a combined swell energy of 1908 – that's a strong pulse. And the wind? Dead calm, glassy conditions. For a beginner-friendly spot like Big Ben, this is about as good as it gets. Clean, lined-up waves, and the long period will make paddling out a breeze. Just be aware it's exposed to the swell, so it'll be sizeable. This is the standout session of the whole outlook.

Later that Monday afternoon, the wind swings onshore and the swell jumps up to 7 feet, which starts to get a bit dicey for a beach/jetty setup, so the morning is the window.

Tuesday the 25th keeps the size up around 8 feet from the S, but the wind stays cross or cross-onshore, so it's not going to be as clean. Wednesday the 26th drops a bit to 5 feet but still has that cross-shore wind. For experienced surfers, it's rideable, but the magic is gone.

We then hit a rough patch of poor conditions with onshore winds and wind swell from the 27th through to the 29th. The 30th of August shows a little bump back to 4 feet from the SSE, but the wind is messy.

The start of September brings a new pulse. The 31st of August and 1st of September see another solid push of E swell, 7 to 6 feet, with moderate cross-shore winds. The energy is moderate to strong (around 1485-1608). It's not the perfect glass of the 24th, but it's consistent and there's plenty of push. The period is around 11-12 seconds, which is a decent groundswell.

After that, the swell tapers off through the first week of September, dropping back to 4 feet by the 3rd and getting a bit sloppy. The 5th of September has a final small pulse of SSW swell at 4 feet, but it's cross-onshore.

So, overall, you've got a long wait for the good stuff. The absolute standout is Monday morning, 24th August at Big Ben. That's your one. After that, the 31st of August and 1st of September offer the next best chance for some solid, chest-to-head-high waves, even if the wind isn't perfect. For the rest, it's a lot of waiting.

Rusty, signing off.

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