Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve got the lowdown on what’s coming our way.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a solid run of surf starting on Tuesday, August 4th, but it’s not for everyone. The water’s sitting at 82°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year—nice for a long session.

The standout is Big Ben (beach/jetty), and it’s a beast. From Tuesday morning through Thursday afternoon, we’re looking at a serious SE swell pushing 12 ft to 13 ft with a very long period of 14 to 16 seconds. The combined energy is massive—check these numbers: 5978, 6344, 7289, 6408, 3554, and 3985—that’s all strong to very strong energy. The wind is cross-shore, mostly from the NE at 19 to 19 mph, so it’s not glassy, but it’s manageable. Here’s the big caveat: this swell is too big for this break. At over 8 ft, it’s strictly for experts only. The long-period groundswell will likely make it dumpy at the beach, so it’s more of a spectacle than a welcoming wave. Beginners, stay out of the water.

Then we hit a rough patch. From Friday, August 7th, through most of the weekend, the quality drops off hard. The swell drops to 7 ft to 8 ft from the SSW with a 15-second period, but the wind swings onshore from the ESE and SE, creating choppy, messy conditions. The combined energy drops to 2678 to 4469—still moderate to strong, but the scores are terrible. The storm risk and onshore wind make it a write-off. By Sunday afternoon, it’s a full-on mess with poor surf conditions.

The next glimmer comes on Monday, August 10th. The swell picks up to 8 ft to 10 ft from the ENE with a shorter 12-second period. The wind shifts to a cross-offshore from the NNE at 19 to 22 mph, which cleans things up nicely—the morning session is rated marginal, but the afternoon scores an 11/10 for such a big swell. The combined energy is 5847 and 4222, again strong. But again, at 10 ft, it’s experts-only territory. This is your best window if you’re a charger.

Tuesday, August 11th, gets nasty. Heavy rain and near gale-force winds from the N and NE at 31 to 34 mph make it dangerous and unrideable. The swell is 10 ft to 13 ft, but it’s a no-go.

Wednesday, August 12th, is a mixed bag. The morning is marginal with 8 ft E swell and cross-shore wind, but the afternoon sees a 10 ft E swell and cross-offshore wind, giving it another 11/10 rating for experienced surfers. The combined energy is 2481 and 2828—still strong. It’s still too big for beginners.

Now, the real gem appears on Thursday, August 13th, in the morning. The swell drops to 7 ft from the E with an 11-second period, and the wind is a light cross-offshore from the NNE at only 6 mph. The combined energy is 1215, which is moderate, but the conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. This is the most user-friendly window for the whole stretch—still big enough to be fun, but not overwhelming. The afternoon gets choppy again as the wind picks up.

The rest of the run from Friday, August 14th, through Sunday, August 16th, is a mixed bag of marginal and poor conditions. The swell holds around 7 ft to 8 ft from the E and ESE, but the wind is mostly cross-onshore, creating chop. The morning of Saturday, August 15th, offers a clean, light cross-offshore window with 8 ft ESE swell and only 1391 combined energy, rated excellent for experienced surfers. That’s another decent session.

From Monday, August 17th, onward, the surf fades. The swell drops to 4 ft to 6 ft from the ESE to SE with short periods of 9 to 12 seconds, and the wind stays cross-onshore. The combined energy falls to 477 to 1235—weak to moderate. It’s poor to marginal for the rest of the forecast. The last week is a quiet, choppy fade-out.

So, to sum it up: the best windows for experienced surfers are the afternoons of August 10th and 12th, and the mornings of August 13th and 15th. The rest of the run is either too big, too windy, or too small. Don’t expect much after the first week.

Rusty.

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