Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Straight up, it's a bit of a waiting game at Big Ben. The surf's gonna be tiny and a bit messy to kick things off, but there's some serious size on the horizon. We're looking at a long period, big swell event that's going to be more about watching than paddling for most of us.

The first real action creeps in on Saturday the 1st of August. We're talking tiny 1.0ft waves from the east, with a sluggish 11-second period. The energy is weak (53), and the water is a warm 80°, which is about normal for this time of year. A light cross-shore wind won't help much. It's a no-go.

Sunday the 2nd sees the swell build to 4ft from the east-southeast, but it's still messy. The wind freshens up to 16 mph, and even though the combined energy jumps to moderate (987), the conditions are rough. The waves are too weak and the wind too strong for a decent session.

Monday the 3rd is the same story – bigger, but uglier. The swell hits 7ft, and by the afternoon it's 8ft from the southeast with a solid 17-second period. The energy is getting strong (4328), but the cross-shore wind is a real problem. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a clean paddle session.

Now, from Tuesday the 4th through to the 7th of August, the swell gets big. Really big. We're talking 12ft to 15ft from the southeast. The combined energy is massive (up to 10642). The wind does turn slightly offshore at times, which would make it clean, but the rule is clear: this is expert territory only. For a beginner break like Big Ben, anything over 8ft is just too big and dangerous. So, unless you're a seasoned charger, stay out of the water.

We get a bit of a drop-off from Friday the 7th, but the quality is still poor. The wind stays onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell is messy. The energy stays strong (between 1464 and 2893), but the wind just ruins it.

The second week doesn't look much better for a quality session. From Sunday the 9th to Monday the 10th, the swell drops to 6ft, but the wind is a constant cross-shore or onshore breeze. The conditions are marginal.

Tuesday the 11th has a pulse of 8ft from the east, but again, the wind is a cross-shore mess.

Wednesday the 12th brings another massive pulse of 12ft from the east-northeast, with a clean offshore wind in the morning. But again, it's too big for this spot.

The rest of the week into the 16th of August is a mix of big, unmanageable swells and messy, wind-affected conditions. The 16th of August sees a colossal 25ft swell from the east, with extreme energy (37108). It's a beast of a swell, but it's way beyond the limits of this break.

To be honest, looking at the entire 16-day window, there's no standout day for a good, clean, manageable surf at Big Ben. The best swells are either too big, too windy, or both. If you're a beginner or intermediate, you're better off waiting for a different window. The forecast can always change, but right now, the ocean is just not playing ball for a good paddle.

Rusty.

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