Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Big Ben over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, the first few days are a bit of a struggle. We’ve got some swell rolling in from Tuesday the 8th through Thursday the 10th, but it’s pretty average. The waves are around 4 ft to 8 ft from the south-southwest, with periods hanging around 8 to 9 seconds, so it’s a bit short-period and not holding much shape. The wind is mostly cross-shore and getting fresh at times, so it’s going to be lumpy and chop-topped. The combined swell energy is moderate (up to 760), but the quality just isn’t there. I’d say give those days a miss unless you’re desperate for a paddle.

Then we hit a real quiet spell from Friday the 11th through to Saturday the 19th. The swell drops right off to barely 2 ft to 5 ft, mostly out of the east or northeast, with long 13 to 14-second periods. That sounds good on paper – long-period groundswell – but at a beach/jetty setup like Big Ben, those long-period swells tend to just roll through without much of a wall. The wind is light and occasionally cross-offshore, which would make it clean, but there’s just not enough juice. The combined energy drops to weak levels (around 189 to 449). It’s basically a flat spell, and you’re looking at over a week with no real surf to get excited about.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Starting Sunday the 20th, the whole picture flips. A new, much larger swell arrives from the southeast. By Sunday morning, we’ve got 3 ft but with a very long 18-second period, and the combined energy jumps to a strong 1229. The wind is light and cross-offshore, so it’ll be clean. By Sunday afternoon, it’s up to 5 ft, still 18 seconds, energy at 2123 – this is the standout, folks. This is a proper groundswell, and with the wind being clean, Big Ben could actually offer up some lined-up waves, particularly if you can find a bit of a bank. The swell direction from the southeast is bang on what this break likes.

Moving into Monday the 21st, it builds further. Morning sees 6 ft at 14 seconds, energy at 2565, and by afternoon it’s 8 ft from the south-southeast at 16 seconds, with energy climbing to 3148. The wind stays clean and cross-offshore. This is the peak quality window. It’s getting solid.

Tuesday the 22nd and Wednesday the 23rd, things get big – really big. The swell hits 10 ft to 13 ft from the south-southeast, with super long 16 to 18-second periods. Combined energy skyrockets into the thousands (4558 to 12236). This is expert territory. For most of us, it’s going to be too much, too powerful, and probably closing out or just dangerous at the jetty. The wind stays moderate cross-shore, but the sheer size makes this for big-wave chargers only.

So, if you’re looking for the best window, it’s Sunday the 20th into Monday the 21st. That’s the sweet spot where the swell is big enough to have proper waves but not so huge that it’s out of control, and the wind is clean. The later part of the week is for the heavy crew.

-Rusty

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