Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I've got a look at what's coming up. Let's be straight up – the next few days are gonna be a bit of a wrestle, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel if you're willing to wait.

The swell is coming in strong, but the wind is the main problem for a while. The water is sitting at 74°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you might want a slightly thicker spring suit at Big Ben.

We're looking at Friday the 10th, and it's a no-go. The swell is there, with a solid 6 ft of S swell at 14 seconds, and the combined energy is a powerful 2361 (moderate to strong), but that southerly wind is cross-onshore and it's already choppy. The afternoon is even worse with a stronger wind and 8 ft waves. Saturday the 11th is similar story – the swell jumps to 8 ft from the SSW with a 16-second period (that's a long-period groundswell, which will be powerful but can be a bit straight at this beach/jetty setup), and the combined energy is massive at 3435 for the morning, but the cross-shore and cross-onshore winds are putting a chop on everything. Sunday the 12th is a bit of the same, with 8 ft of SSW swell and 3109 energy, but it's still cross-shore and messy.

Monday the 13th morning is where things look a bit better. The swell drops to 5 ft from the SSW at 13 seconds, and the energy is down to 754 (moderate), but the wind turns light and cross-offshore, making it clean. The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions," but honestly, the score is only a 3, so it's a marginal improvement. The afternoon goes back to being poor.

From Tuesday the 14th through to Wednesday the 22nd, it's a pretty flat and messy run. The swell drops to under 3 ft, the energy is weak (under 325), and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore. There are a few days with glassy conditions, like Friday the 17th morning, but the swell is only 3 ft from the ESE with a short 9-second period and a weak energy of 226. It's not worth the trip.

Now, here's the standout. Thursday the 23rd of July. That's the one. The morning has 6 ft of E swell at 11 seconds, which is a nice long-period groundswell, and the combined energy is a solid 1116 (moderate to strong). The best part? The wind is glassy, absolute glass. The forecast says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers," and the score is a 4, which is the best we've seen. This is a true standout for the experts – the 6 ft waves are right at the edge of being too big for beginners, and with that long period, it'll have some punch. The afternoon has 7 ft waves, which is getting into the expert-only zone, but the wind is onshore, so stick to the morning.

After that, Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th are a bit of a letdown. The swell drops, the wind turns cross-shore, and it's back to marginal conditions.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a write-off for clean surf. The second week has a few small, clean windows, but nothing special. The true standout is the morning of Thursday the 23rd at Big Ben – glassy conditions, solid 6 ft E swell, and a long period. Set the alarm for that one.

Rusty.

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