Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer.

First up, the water temp is sitting at a balmy 82°, which is about a degree and a half warmer than usual for this time of year – not crazy, but you’ll notice it’s a bit toastier than average.

Honestly, the next week or so is pretty flat and frustrating. There’s a real lull from now through the end of August. We’ve got small, weak, mostly messy waves with combined swell energy barely cracking 100 to 500 (587 on Wednesday morning, but it’s a marginal call). Wednesday morning might offer a waist-high wave around 3ft from the SSW with a 12-second period, and a cross-off wind, but the report calls it questionable. Thursday and Friday see even smaller stuff, mostly under 3ft, with energy dropping. Saturday the 29th through to Tuesday the 1st of September is about as weak as it gets – tiny knee-high waves with energy below 200, mostly poor conditions. The best of a bad lot might be Monday 31st morning: glassy wind, dead calm, but only 2ft from the east. You could get a few gutless rollers on a longboard if you’re desperate.

Now, the real story kicks in after that. The first standout is Wednesday, 2nd of September. Big Ben wakes up with a solid 6ft swell from the south, period 12 seconds, and combined energy pumping at 1111 – that’s the first real push of the forecast. The catch: winds are cross-onshore and it’s a beach/jetty setup, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. Still, for a beginner-friendly break, that’s a lot of water moving. By Thursday 3rd, it holds at 7ft from the south, still cross-shore winds making it choppy but surfable.

The next big standout is hard to ignore – Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th of September. We’re looking at a serious pulse: 10ft on Saturday from the east, period 9 seconds, energy hitting 1344 and 1513. Sunday is even bigger, 13ft from the SSE with a 12-second period and energy at 4542. That’s strong wave energy, no doubt. But here’s the thing – that’s too big for this beginner break. The forecast itself says it’s predicted to be too big. So unless you’re an expert looking for a challenge on a jetty wave, this is more of a spectacle than a session. Winds are cross and cross-onshore, so it’s not clean either. Honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

After that, it slowly drops back. Monday 7th still has 8ft to 10ft from the south, but again cross-onshore and bumpy. By the second week, from the 8th onward, it fades fast. Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th see energy dropping to 928 and then 186, with waves shrinking back under 3ft and poor conditions.

So, bottom line: if you want a wave, aim for the first few days of September. The best bet for a decent paddle is Thursday 3rd morning: 7ft south swell, 12 seconds, cross-shore wind, and energy at 1212. It won’t be perfect, but it’s the best we’ve got. The big swell on the 5th and 6th is a beast but not for the faint-hearted.

Rusty.

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