Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's on the cards for Big Ben.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you—there's no surf worth a paddle-out for the first few days. The whole outlook is a bit of a grind, but let’s walk through it.

We start with a period that really doesn't get going. The first record kicks off on Wednesday the 8th of July. The swell is around 7 ft from the SSE, but it's messy and the wind is cross-on. It's a marginal call, and honestly, not one I'd be rushing for.

The run from the 8th through to the 13th of July is a real test of patience. The wave energy is massive, with values like 2507, 2989, even 4108 on the Saturday, but it's all paired with cross or cross-on winds. The water temperature is sitting at 74°, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year, so don't forget the booties if you're fussy. For the more experienced crew, the Saturday and Sunday (11th and 12th) might offer something, with solid 8 ft SSW swell and long 16-17 second periods, but it's cross-shore and pretty lumpy. That's more of a challenge than a treat.

Things drop right off from the 13th onwards. Monday the 13th sees the swell shrink to 4 ft, with only 717 in the energy tank, and it's still cross-shore with even a risk of thunderstorms. Not great. This turns into a real flat spell through to the 17th.

The best of the bunch, and I mean the only real standout, looks to be Tuesday the 21st of July. The morning session at Big Ben has a clean 7 ft ENE swell with light offshore wind. The wave energy is a solid 1652, and we're looking at a 10-second period. The wind is light and cross-off, which should keep the surface tidy. It's not a huge swell, but for this neck of the woods over this period, it's the one to circle on the calendar. There’s potential for some fun ones if you can get out before the crowds roll in, as it can get busy there sometimes.

Before that, the morning of Tuesday the 14th offers a brief window with a small 3 ft SSW swell and clean conditions, but the energy is only 218—pretty weak and inconsistent. Worth a look if you're desperate, but not a standout.

After the 21st, it fades again. By the 22nd and 23rd, we're back to tiny, onshore junk. The 23rd sees a 3 ft ENE swell with period jumping to 13 seconds, but the wind is onshore and the rain is a risk. Not worth the drive.

So, to sum it up: if you can wait, Tuesday the 21st of July is your best shot for a proper session, with clean conditions and a bit of push. Everything else is either too big and messy, or too small and blown out. This isn't a great run for consistency, so don't beat yourself up if you miss it.

Rusty.

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