Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s cut straight to it. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag for our stretch of coast. The main standout is Big Ben, but honestly, the opening days are going to be a challenge for most of us. The first few days of the window are firing with a big, powerful groundswell, but it’s going to be too much for the average punter. We’ve got a solid SE swell pushing through on Wednesday the 5th, with wave heights around 13ft and a long 15-second period. The combined energy is a strong 7412, and the water temp is a touch warmer than normal at 82°. That’s proper, heavy stuff. The wind is cross-shore from the NE at 16 mph, which will put some texture on it, but the main issue is the size. This is expert-only territory. The swell direction from the SE is right on the money for this spot, but that size is just too much for the jetty to handle for most of us. The afternoon stays similar, with 13ft and ENE wind, still too big.

Thursday the 6th sees the swell back off a bit to 8ft, but the wind swings cross-on and it gets choppy. The energy drops to 2525, and the period shortens to 13 seconds. It’s a messy, marginal day. Friday the 7th is more of the same, onshore wind, 7ft, and the energy is fading. Saturday and Sunday are still pretty average, with smaller surf in the 6ft range but poor conditions. There’s a real lull in quality here.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. The standout window is Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th. The swell drops back to a more manageable size, but the kicker is the wind. We get a fresh cross-offshore breeze from the NNE, which is going to groom those faces to perfection. Monday morning has 8ft of ENE swell with a 12-second period and a combined energy of 2308. The conditions are clean. By Monday afternoon, it’s pushing 10ft, and the energy jumps to 3068. Tuesday morning sees the biggest of this pulse at 10ft with an 11-second period and a strong 4326 energy reading. The wind is still cross-off and clean. This is the pick of the bunch. It’s still big, so it’s for experienced surfers only, but the conditions are going to be firing. The swell direction is ENE, which is decent, but the clean, offshore wind is what makes it special. This is the one to get excited about.

After that, the middle of the month gets messy. Wednesday the 12th is still rideable but the wind gets strong. Thursday through to the 17th sees the swell drop off significantly, with a lot of poor, choppy days and the energy falling to under 1000. It’s a proper flat spell. The wind is all over the shop, and there are a few storm risks around. This is a good time to wax the longboard and wait.

The final push comes on Tuesday the 19th and Wednesday the 20th. Tuesday the 19th brings a new, solid S swell at 10ft with a 14-second period and a strong energy of 4224. But the wind is onshore and it’s raining, so it’s going to be messy. Wednesday the 20th is a better bet. The swell is holding at 8ft with a 13-second period, the energy is 3497, and the wind is light and cross-shore from the SSW. That’s a much cleaner look, and the conditions should be far better. The water is still warm. This is a promising end to the window, but it’s more than a week away, so I’d keep an eye on it.

So, to break it down: the big, clean days on the 10th and 11th are your top picks. The 20th looks like a solid back-up. The rest is either too big, too small, or too messy. Big Ben is a spot that’s exposed, and it’s inconsistent, so when it lines up, you’ve got to go. But remember, if it’s over 8ft, it’s expert territory only. If you’re a beginner, sit this one out. The crowds are sometimes an issue here, but on the clean days, it’ll be worth the fight.

Rusty out.

Read more