Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, it’s flat and ugly. The first few days are a total write-off. Tuesday the 28th is a no-go with tiny, weak 2ft to 3ft wind-affected slop and a combined energy of only 170. The water’s sitting at 81°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s the only warm thing about it.

Wednesday morning the 29th is our first real glimmer of hope. We get a quick pulse of 6ft swell from the SW, but it’s short-period windswell at 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. The real kicker is the glassy conditions – that’s a major positive. The wave energy is moderate (399). This is the best of a bad bunch early on, but it’s nothing to get too excited about, and it only lasts the morning.

From the 30th through the 31st, we’re back to tiny, weak waves with energy readings barely breaking 50-100. Friday morning the 31st is clean but only 1ft – you’d be fighting for scraps.

Now, hold on to your boards. The real story starts on Sunday, August 2nd. The swell builds. By Sunday afternoon, we’ve got 5ft ESE swell with a 14-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 972. That’s moderate, but the wind is onshore, so it’s a messy prospect.

Monday the 3rd is where it gets serious. A 8ft ESE groundswell (16 seconds) rolls in, with combined energy at 2991 – strong. This is big, powerful, long-period stuff. The cross-shore wind is manageable, but it’s going to be a bit choppy. This is expert territory for sure. The swell hits 8ft in the afternoon with 3826 energy.

But the standout? The absolute don’t-miss-it window, if you’ve got the skills, is Tuesday August 4th. We’re looking at a massive 13ft swell from the SE, with a period of 18 seconds. The combined energy is a whopping 10085. Wednesday the 5th goes even bigger with a ridiculous 54ft ESE swell (159025 energy) – that’s a monster, but it’s also cross-offshore wind, so it’ll be clean. This is not for the faint of heart. This is a big-wave crew-only situation. The swell is just too big for this beach/jetty setup for a normal paddle. Honestly, if you’re not on a gun, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

After that peak, things drop off and get messy. From Thursday the 6th through Saturday the 8th, it’s onshore winds and deteriorating conditions.

We then get a second, more manageable window on Sunday the 9th. A 6ft E swell with a 13-second period, combined energy of 1087, and clean cross-offshore winds. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers, and a much more user-friendly size than the mid-week beast. The 10th and 11th keep some energy, but the consistency and quality fade.

The 12th looks like it’s back to the usual chop and close-outs.

So, if you’re an expert, don’t miss Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th. For everyone else, the standout is Sunday, August 9th – that’s your best bet for a good, clean session without needing a tow-in. The gap between the small stuff early on and the big stuff is about 4 days of nothing.

Rusty.

Read more