Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s coming our way over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag with a heck of a lot of waiting, but there are a couple of sessions that might just make it worth hanging onto your board.

The Overall Pattern
Right off the bat, we’re in a pretty quiet spell. The first real recommendation doesn’t pop up until Tuesday, July 14th, and even then it’s a narrow window. Most of the 16-day run is plagued by poor conditions—cross-shore and cross-onshore winds, choppy surfaces, and waves that just aren’t cleaning up. There’s a big gap of nothing much from July 14th afternoon all the way through to July 19th morning. After that, we get a glassy moment on the 20th, then another long stretch of messy, poor-quality surf until the very end of the forecast. The standout is a sneaky clean session on Tuesday, July 28th morning.

The Detail, Day by Day

Tuesday, July 14th – Morning Only
We kick off with a small, clean window at Big Ben (beach/jetty) . The morning serves up some clouds, but the wind is glassy at 3 mph from the SE, which is a real treat. The swell is 3 ft from the SSW with a period of 11 seconds and a combined energy of (238). It’s weak but it’s clean, and the water temp is about average for the time of year. This is a beginner-friendly spot, and it’s inconsistent, so you’ll have to work for your waves, but it’s the best of the early days. The afternoon goes south fast with a cross-shore wind, so don’t sleep in.

Wednesday, July 15th – Sunday, July 19th
This is a rough patch. From the 15th through the 19th, the wind is either cross, cross-on, or onshore, with speeds picking up to 9-12 mph. The swell stays tiny—2 ft to 3 ft—with a short period (8-9 seconds) and low energy (124 to 271). The water is a mess of chop and wind ripples. The surf is poor, and honestly, not worth paddling out for. The 19th shows a glimmer of “marginal” conditions, but it’s still cross-on, so I’d skip it.

Monday, July 20th – Morning Only
Another one-morning wonder. The 20th starts with glassy winds from the S at 3 mph, and we get 4 ft of swell from the E with an 8-second period and energy of (207). The waves are small and a bit weak, but the surface is clean. The afternoon turns cross-on again, so get your session in early.

Tuesday, July 21st – Thursday, July 24th
The swell picks up a bit on the 21st morning, with 5 ft from the E, a 10-second period, and a much stronger energy of (464). But the wind is cross-on, so it’s choppy and only marginal. The following days are all cross-on or cross-shore, with the swell dropping back to 3 ft-4 ft, and the energy is moderate (274-334). The wind is never clean, and the wave conditions are poor. The 24th morning is glassy with only 2 ft, but it’s too weak to get excited about.

The Standout – Tuesday, July 28th Morning
This is the one to circle on your calendar. Big Ben wakes up to some clouds, but the wind is a clean cross-offshore from the NE at 9 mph. The swell is 4 ft coming from the S with an 11-second period and a very solid energy of (494). The water is clean, and the conditions are good. This is easily the best-looking session of the whole 16 days. The crowd profile says “sometimes” busy, so you might have a few others in the water, but the quality should be worth it. The afternoon goes cross-on, so it’s a morning-only affair.

Wednesday, July 29th – End
The last day in the forecast fades back to small, cross-shore conditions with 2 ft from the S and energy of (215). Back to the bench.

Final Word
It’s a tough run for consistency, but keep your eyes on Tuesday, July 28th morning. That’s your best bet for a clean, punchy session. The rest of the time, you’ll be fighting the wind or waiting for a glass-off that rarely comes. Hang in there.

Rusty.

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