Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me break down the next 16 days for you. Rusty here, and I'm looking at the charts for Big Ben.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but hold on to your board—there’s some serious firepower coming down the line. The first few days are pretty flat and weak, but things start to get interesting around Wednesday, July 29th, with a small window of clean waves. The real standout, though, is the big pulse arriving around Monday, August 3rd, followed by a monster swell that’s only for the brave.

Right now, from Tuesday the 28th, conditions are poor. Small, weak swell around 3ft from the ENE with a short period and cross-onshore winds. The combined wave energy is a measly 177, so don't even bother.

Wednesday, July 29th is where it gets a little interesting. The morning brings a clean 5ft swell from the SW, with glassy conditions. The energy is moderate at 299, and the break is exposed to the swell. The wind is dead calm—glass. This is your best bet for a fun, clean session for the week, though it's an inconsistent spot, so you might have to wait for the sets. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The rest of the week through to the weekend is a bit of a write-off. Thursday and Friday are small, weak, and messy. The wind is light, but the swell is tiny, with energy dropping below 100. Saturday is even worse, with a small 1ft swell and poor conditions.

Then, Sunday, August 2nd, we start to see a change. A long-period groundswell from the ESE pushes in at 4ft to 5ft with a period of 14 seconds. The energy jumps to 840, but it’s a bit messy with cross-onshore winds. It’s a marginal session, but it’s a sign of what’s coming.

And here it is. Monday, August 3rd is the pick of the first week. The morning is incredible for experienced surfers: 7ft of ESE swell, a period of 15 seconds, and glassy conditions. The combined energy is a strong 1799. This is a long-period groundswell, so it will have some serious power, and the long gaps between sets will make paddling out easier. The break is a beach/jetty setup, so with this long period, it might bend a bit straight, but with the wind dead off, it’s going to be epic. The afternoon gets a bit onshore and messy, but the morning is the window.

Tuesday, August 4th is where things get serious. The swell pumps up to 12ft to 13ft from the SE with an 18-second period. The energy is enormous—over 7,000 and then 10,000. This is too big for most, and the forecast says it's too big for this break. The wind is cross-shore at 12-16 mph, creating a cross-chop. This is expert-only, and honestly, with the size and the chop, it might be more interesting for the kite surfers than paddle surfers.

The rest of the second week is a washout for quality surfing. A massive 20ft+ swell from the SE on August 5th and 6th is way too big, with strong onshore winds and risk of thunderstorms. The energy is over 20,000. Not a day to be in the water. Things settle down from August 8th, but the swell is still big (7ft to 10ft) and the wind is onshore, making it a mess. The wind finally eases by August 10th, but the swell drops to a more manageable 5ft to 6ft, though the wind is still cross-shore or cross-onshore, so the quality is marginal at best.

The standout: Without a doubt, Monday morning, August 3rd at Big Ben. That 7ft, 15-second groundswell from the ESE with glassy conditions is the one to circle. If you're an experienced surfer, that's your session.

The one to watch: The morning of Wednesday, July 29th is a smaller, cleaner option for everyone else, with 5ft and glass.

The rest of the run is either too small, too big, or too windy. The long-range stuff has a lot of energy, but it’s mostly blown out.

Rusty.

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