Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s cooking at Big Ben over the next couple of weeks. The water’s running at a touch warmer than normal for late August – about 82°F, which is 2°F above the seasonal average, so the water feels lovely.

Now, to be straight with you, we’ve got a pretty quiet start. The first few days are for the diehards only. Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are bringing tiny 2ft to 2ft easterly swells with really weak energy (174 down to 103). There's a brief moment of glass on Saturday afternoon, but the waves are just too ordinary to get excited about. That flat spell runs through Monday the 31st too.

Things finally perk up on Tuesday morning, September 1st. We get a clean 3ft ESE swell with a decent 12-second period. The wind is light and cross-offshore, so the conditions will be tidy. The combined energy jumps to a modest 272, so it’s small but surfable for a beginner-friendly beach/jetty spot. That’s our first real glimmer of hope – go easy on yourself and have a fun paddle.

There’s another clean morning on Wednesday the 2nd with glassy conditions and a 3ft easterly swell, still manageable energy at 239. It’s nice, but still not a standout.

The real action, the stuff that gets the heart pumping, kicks off on Friday afternoon, September 4th. We’ve got a 8ft SSW swell rolling in, with only a 7-second period – so it’s a bit short and choppy, but the wind is light and cross-offshore, keeping the surface clean. The combined energy is a beefy 559, making this the best wave size and quality up to that point. This one’s borderline for beginners at over 5ft, so it's for the hungry intermediates and crew looking for a punchy wave.

Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th stay solid, but the wind gets a bit too strong on Saturday morning (19 mph cross-off) and the swell bounces around 6ft to 8ft with NE to ENE direction. The energy is huge – 1155 to 1260 – but the conditions are mixed with that cross-onshore on Sunday afternoon. It’s a bit of a dice roll.

The true standout is Monday, September 7th. The early morning session looks absolutely stunning. The swell is a solid 8ft from the east with a 10-second period, but it’s glassy – dead calm wind – and the combined energy is a massive 2022. This is the best on offer for experienced surfers. The wave will have real power, but that size (over 8ft) means it's expert territory only. If you’re a competent surfer, this is the call of the whole outlook. Tides and wind should align for a magic hour.

Things get nuts and then shut down after that. From Tuesday the 8th right through the following Sunday, the swell just explodes. We’re talking 10ft to 15ft southerly swell with insane energy readings up to 6689. But the nudge from the guidance is clear: it's too big for this beach/jetty break. The wind is often cross or lumpy, so it looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Steer clear unless you’re on a gun and know the place like the back of your hand.

By the 10th it eases, dropping back to 5ft to 5ft, but the wind stays messy and cross-shore through to the 12th. Then on Sunday, September 13th, another enormous pulse (13ft to 15ft SSE) hits, but it's the same story – way too big for a fun session here.

So, to sum it up: the early week is small but clean for beginners, Friday the 4th offers a punchy step up, and Monday morning September 7th is your absolute best bet for a proper, clean, glassy, powerful session. After that, check the kite gear or stay home.

Rusty.

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