Big Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I've got the goods on what's coming up for your local stretch. Let's be straight with you, this one's got a bit of a slow start, but there's a real solid window of opportunity if you've got the patience—and the nerve.

We're looking at a period that kicks off with a few days of nothing to write home about. From the 31st of August right through the 2nd of September, it's flat out poor. The swell is tiny, and the wind is all over the shop, mostly onshore. You'd be better off staying in bed or fixing your dings.

Now, the first flicker of hope comes on the 3rd of September, Thursday morning. The swell is still pretty weak at 2 ft from the SW, but the period stretches to a very long 15 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate (423). The wind is clean and onshore from the W, but it's still marginal. The afternoon picks up a bit, with 3 ft and a super long 18-second period, pushing the energy into the strong range (635). That's a sign of something stirring, but the conditions are still on the fence.

Friday, the 4th, is where it starts to get interesting. The swell bumps up to 4 ft from the SW, with a solid 17-second period. The combined energy is strong (747 in the morning, 852 in the afternoon). The wind is clean cross-shore in the morning from the SSW, so it's a bit lumpy but totally surfable. It's still a marginal call, but it's the best we've seen so far.

The real standout, the one you've been waiting for, is Saturday the 5th. The afternoon session is the pick of the entire early run. The swell is 4 ft from the S, with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is a pumping 1187—that's strong to very strong. The wind is light and onshore, so it's not perfect, but the size is there. For Big Rock, a reef break that's fairly consistent and exposed to the W, this is a solid swell from the S. The water temp is a very unusual 75°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so you might not even need a spring suit.

Sunday the 6th is the big one. The swell is pushing 7 ft to 7 ft from the SSW, with a 14-second period. The energy is massive—1622 in the morning, 1840 in the afternoon. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the NNE in the afternoon, making for clean waves. However, this is where it gets tricky. The data says this swell is too big for this break. At over 8 ft for the next few days, it's expert territory only. Monday the 7th is a beast with 8 ft swell, but the wind goes from a clean cross-off in the morning (50 km/h in the afternoon, which is a near gale, but miraculously still clean) to a full-on gale. Tuesday the 8th is still massive at 8 ft to 10 ft, but the wind is all over the shop, and the period drops to 9-10 seconds, making it messy and dangerous.

So, for the average surfer, the best bet is the late afternoon of Saturday the 5th. The 4 ft swell from the S with that strong energy is your sweet spot. It's not perfect, but it's the most accessible good wave. For the experts, Sunday the 6th afternoon is a standout—clean, powerful, and massive, but only for those who know what they're doing. This spot can get crowded, so expect a few locals out.

After that big pulse, it drops off fast. The 9th of September is a washout with poor conditions, and from the 10th onwards, the swell dribbles down to 1 ft to 3 ft with weak energy (under 600). The winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the surf is back to being poor. It's a classic case of a blank run for the rest of the window. No standouts in the second week, I'm afraid.

That's the long and short of it. Rusty out.

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