Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer.

Right off the bat, we’ve got some proper winter energy rolling in, but the early part of this week is pretty much a write-off for a decent paddle. The first few days are dominated by a solid, strong southerly swell with combined energy readings running into the strong range, but the wind is howling from the south and cross-onshore, making it a lumpy, blown-out mess at Big Ben. The waves are big – 10 feet – but the quality is poor and it’s a struggle. By Tuesday, it’s still messy with 7 to 7 feet of southerly swell and cross-shore winds keeping things choppy.

The first real window of opportunity doesn’t open up until Thursday the 10th. The swell drops right back to 3 to 4 feet from the south, but the wind swings around to a cross-offshore from the north-northeast, and it’s clean. The energy is weak, so it’s small and a bit marginal, but at least the surface is clean.

The standout period, and the best bet across the whole outlook, arrives on Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th. We get a shift in swell direction to the east, with a long-period groundswell of 14 seconds. The swell height is small, just 2 feet, but the energy is moderate. The wind on Saturday morning is absolutely glassy – not a breath – making for some really clean, fun little waves. Friday morning also looks good with a gentle cross-off breeze. This is the pick of the forecast; it’s not big, but for a small-wave board, it’ll be super clean and enjoyable. The crowds at Big Ben are listed as "sometimes", so you might have company, but nothing insane.

The next morning, Saturday the 12th, glassy conditions again, with the swell holding at 2 to 3 feet and that lovely 14-second period. This is the best on offer. The swell direction is east, which suits this break nicely.

The second week sees a bit more activity, but nothing that really screams "go-time". Monday the 16th has a glassy start with 4 feet of easterly swell (12-second period) and moderate energy, so it’s clean but not powerful. The rest of that week is plagued by cross-shore winds and onshore breezes, with small, weak swell and a lot of poor conditions.

The very tail end of the outlook, on Tuesday the 22nd of September, has a spike in swell – 5 feet from the southeast with a very long period of 17 seconds, and combined energy rocketing up. The wind is glassy in the morning. This is a big, powerful groundswell with some serious energy. For experienced surfers, this could be a proper session, but the size and period mean it’ll be powerful, and at a beach/jetty setup, that long period might make it a bit straight and tricky. Definitely one for the crew who know what they’re doing. It’s still over two weeks out, so keep an eye on it, but it has potential.

For the rest of the second week, don’t expect much. It’s mostly small, weak, and messy. The glassy moments are rare, and the swell doesn’t have the guts to make it interesting.

So, to wrap it up: the best surf is this coming Friday and Saturday (the 11th and 12th) with clean, glassy conditions and a nice long-period easterly groundswell. It’s small, but it’s your best bet. The big event at the end of the outlook (22nd) is one for the experienced crew to watch.

Rusty.

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