Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Big Ben is serving up over the next couple of weeks.

Overall, it’s a bit of a frustrating start. The first few days are pretty flat or blown out, nothing to get excited about. There’s a big pulse of energy coming through around the middle of the second week, but the size is going to be an issue, especially for a spot that is exposed and inconsistent like this one. The real standout is a window on the 9th, with a massive groundswell and perfect conditions, but only for the brave.

First up, the forecast really kicks off on Tuesday the 2nd, with a small bump of 4ft easterly swell coming in on Wednesday morning. The wind is glassy, which is a major positive and the water temp is a warm 81°F, about normal for this time of year. The combined energy is moderate at 334. This is a rare moment of clean conditions, and for a break that is inconsistent, you have to take the windows when they come. It’s a good size for a beginner, but don’t expect much push.

Things get messy again from Thursday onward with a mix of southerly winds and onshore junk. On Friday the 4th, the wind is cross-off and the afternoon picks up to 5ft, but the period drops to a weak 8 seconds, making for crumbly, short-period waves. The combined energy sits at 406 and it’s still moderate, but the quality just isn’t there.

The weekend brings a bit more size, with 7ft to 7ft easterly swell on Sunday the 6th, but it’s accompanied by strong, onshore winds from the NE and fresh breezes. This is likely to be a messy, wind-affected mess. You’d need to be a masochist to paddle out.

Now, the big news is the massive pulse starting from the 8th and peaking on the 9th. This is a strong southerly groundswell with a period of 11 seconds. On Wednesday the 9th, we see 10ft of SSE swell with glassy winds in the morning. The combined energy is reading 2205 – that’s strong, serious wave energy. However, the forecast is clear: the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. At 10ft, this is firmly in expert-only territory. This break is a beach/jetty setup, and with a long-period groundswell like this (11 seconds), it might well close out or be a washing machine, especially for a beach break. The glassy wind means it’ll be pretty to look at, but don’t even think about it unless you’ve got a lot of experience and a bigger board.

After that peak, the swell backs down but remains solid through the second week. The period actually lengthens out to 15–17 seconds from the east from the 14th, which is a very long period groundswell. This means the sets will be powerful and spaced out, but at a point break or reef this would be magic; for a beach break like Big Ben, it might just break too straight and shut down. The combined energies are still high (up to 2018), but the winds are mostly cross or cross-onshore, which won’t help the shape. These are marginal days for the 14th, 15th, and 16th, with the morning of the 15th offering some swell but moderate cross-shore wind. For an inconsistent break, you’d need a lot of patience.

Honestly, if you’re just looking to get wet, the best bet is the small, clean, glassy window on Wednesday morning, the 2nd. It’s not a standout by power, but the conditions will be nice. For the real daredevils, that Wednesday the 9th is a rare beast, but it’s a beast that will eat you up if you’re not ready. If you’re after a decent paddle with some grunt, the morning of the 15th September has potential but it’s a long-range call and not certain.

Keep an eye on the forecasts, though – things can change. For now, don’t get your hopes up too high for clean, rideable waves. There are long gaps of nothing, so temper your expectations.

Rusty.

Read more