Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Big Ben.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a bit is flat out ugly. We’re talking a run of poor surf and pretty ordinary conditions for days on end. The first real chance of anything surfable doesn't roll around until Saturday morning the 25th, and even then it’s pretty weak. There’s a real gap here with nothing good to report until then.

So, Saturday morning the 25th. We’ve got a tiny 2 ft swell from the SE, with a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy is weak, coming in at a measly 92. That’s not going to get your heart racing. But what makes it just about worth a mention is the glassy conditions. With the wind gone and the water surface like a mirror, even small waves can be a bit of fun on a longboard. The water’s sitting at 80°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The next morning, Sunday the 26th, is still marginal. That 1 ft from the SE has a longer period of 15 seconds, pushing the combined energy up to 200, but it’s a bit bumpy with a light cross-onshore breeze.

Now, look ahead to Monday the 27th. The early morning shows a bit of promise. Swell is still tiny at 1 ft from the SE, but the energy is there with a reading of 202, and the wind is a light cross-offshore, which means the faces will be clean. The period is a long 14 seconds, so it’s a proper groundswell, but at this size, it’s going to be pretty small and fat for a beach/jetty setup like this. Still, if you’re desperate for a paddle, it’s the best looking window in the first week.

Things get seriously interesting and dangerous after that. From the 2nd of August onward, a massive pulse of swell is forecast. Sunday the 2nd sees the swell jump to 6 ft from the ESE, with a period of 16 seconds and energy reading of 1458. That’s moderate to strong energy. But the wind is a cross-on at 9 mph, making it choppy and messy.

By Monday the 3rd of August, we’re looking at a solid 12 ft swell from the ESE with a very long period of 18 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 8263. That is a serious amount of water moving. The wind is cross-shore, which isn't ideal, but look – this is too big for Big Ben. The forecast calls it out: too big for this break. This is a beginner spot, and 12 ft is purely for experts, and even then, the setup might not handle it cleanly. Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th are even bigger, with 18 ft and 21 ft swells, and energy readings in the tens of thousands. This is a major, major swell event. But for a beach/jetty, that long period groundswell (16-19 seconds) is going to make it dumpy and close out. If you’re a kite surfer, this setup with all that cross-shore wind and massive swell might be a dream. For a paddle surfer, it’s a no-go zone unless you’re a pro and looking for a death wish. The wind is clean and cross-offshore on the 7th of August, but the swell is a monstrous 33 ft from the E. That’s pure, raw power (energy reading of 62247) and absolutely not for this break.

So, to be honest, the standout here is a cautious nod to the surfable but small early morning of Monday the 27th of July. It’s clean, the energy is there, but it’s a battle for consistency on a tiny wave. For the big stuff after that, it’s a hard pass for paddle surfing at Big Ben. This is a spot for small, clean days, and the forecast is showing everything but that.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

Read more