Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. We’re looking at a few days of clean, fun surf, then a whole lot of nothing. The standout is a magic window early Tuesday morning, and then a big, powerful swell that’s only for the brave right at the end of the second week.

The first real action is at Big Ben (beach/jetty). The water temp is sitting at 79°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so not a wetsuit worry.

We start Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th with some 5 ft to 7 ft swell from the ESE, but the wind is just a mess – cross-on or onshore. It’s rideable, but you’ll be battling a bit of chop. The energy is moderate, with readings around 889 to 1631, but it’s not clean enough to get excited about.

Then we get the good stuff. Monday morning the 10th has a 7 ft cross-shore swell from the E with a 12-second period, giving us a moderate 1512 energy reading. It’s a solid option, but the real gem is Tuesday morning, August 11th. The wind drops to dead calm, glassy conditions. We’ve got a 6 ft E swell, 11-second period, with a combined energy of 1046. That’s clean, smooth, and has some push. It’s a great session for an experienced surfer, but the 6 ft might be a bit much for total beginners. The afternoon turns to garbage with a storm risk, so get out early.

From Tuesday afternoon all the way through to the end of the first week, it’s a poor run. The wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell drops to 3 ft or 4 ft. The combined energy falls to 358, and the forecasts are all for poor conditions. It’s a write-off for a good few days.

We get a little reprieve on Friday the 14th with a 5 ft E swell and a clean cross-offshore wind, but the energy is only 548, so it’s marginal. It’s better than a kick in the teeth, but not a standout.

Now, the big one arrives on the weekend of the 15th and 16th of August. Saturday the 15th brings a 8 ft to 10 ft E swell with a powerful 2174 energy reading. Sunday the 16th is even bigger, with a 10 ft E swell (12-second period) and a massive 3043 energy reading. The wind is cross-off or cross-shore, so it’s clean. But listen, this is too big for Big Ben. It’s a flat beach/jetty setup, and 10 ft waves are going to be a washing machine. This is only for experts, and honestly, it might be more interesting for the kite surfers than paddle surfers. The forecast says "wind and tide favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break," so I’m passing on it.

After that, the energy drops right off. From Monday the 17th onwards, we’re back to small, messy, and poor conditions. The swell drops to 2 ft to 4 ft, and the combined energy sits around 160 to 300. The wind is mostly cross or onshore, with a few clean windows but no real swell to back it up. The forecast for the 22nd and 23rd of August is just poor.

So, to sum it up: Tuesday morning, August 11th is your best bet. Glassy, 6 ft, clean. If you can’t make that, then Monday the 10th is the next best thing. The second week is a write-off for any decent paddle surfing. It’s a long gap with nothing on offer, but that’s just how it goes sometimes.

Rusty.

Read more