Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Rightio, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but there’s some solid stuff brewing later on.

First up, the water’s a bit colder than normal for this time of year, runnin’ about 74.3°, so you’ll want a step up in your rubber if you’re feelin’ the chill.

The real action kicks off on Thursday, July 9th, at Big Ben. It’s a beach/jetty setup, exposed to the swell, and it’s inconsistent, so don’t expect a wave every minute. Thursday morning is the standout right out of the gate: a clean 6.6 ft SSE swell with a 14-second period – that’s proper groundswell, so it’ll have some punch. The wind is glassy, dead calm, which is a massive win. The combined energy of all swells is a solid 1948, so there’s plenty of juice. This is excellent surf, but at 6.6 ft, it’s getting into the zone for experienced surfers only. Crowds are possible here, so you might have some company.

Thursday afternoon sees the wind shift onshore, and the quality drops. Friday, July 10th, is a write-off with cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions. Saturday and Sunday are the same story – plenty of swell (8.2 ft on Saturday, 8.2 ft on Sunday) with that long 17-second period, but the wind is cross-on or cross, making it messy. The energy is pumping (over 4100 on Saturday), but it’s just not clean.

After a few days of poor conditions, Monday, July 13th, offers a little window. The swell drops to 4.6 ft from the SW, but the wind flips to cross-offshore in the morning and then glassy in the afternoon. It’s clean, but the wave height is small. The energy is down to 867, so it’s a weak, fun-sized day.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Tuesday, July 14th, right through to Saturday, July 18th, it’s a mix of tiny swell and onshore wind. Not worth paddling out. That’s about five days of flat, choppy nothing.

The next real chance comes on Sunday, July 19th. The swell jumps back up to 6.9 ft from the SE with a 13-second period, and the energy is back up to 1480. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s not perfect, but it’s a step up. Marginal, but possible.

The true standout, though, is Monday, July 20th. The morning is glassy, dead calm, with a 7.2 ft SSE swell and a 12-second period. The combined energy is 1563 – strong, solid. This is described as excellent surf for experienced surfers. The wind is glassy, so it’ll be clean as a whistle. The swell direction matches the optimum (SE), so the break should be working perfectly. This is the best session on offer in the whole outlook. Monday afternoon gets a bit cross-shore and choppy, but the morning is a winner.

After that, the swell backs off into Tuesday and Wednesday, July 21st and 22nd, with smaller waves and cross or cross-offshore winds. Nothing to write home about. Thursday, July 23rd, has a tiny glassy morning, but it’s small.

In short: The surf is inconsistent overall, but don’t get too down – it tends not to stay flat for long. The absolute best bet is the glassy morning of Monday, July 20th, at Big Ben. Set your alarm for that one.

Read more