Big Wave Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at the only spot on the radar, Big Wave Bay.

Honestly, mate, I gotta call it straight: we’re looking at a pretty flat stretch ahead. The finder shows nothing but “poor surf conditions” for the entire 16-day window, from now through to the 2nd of September. It’s a bleak run. The waves just aren't showing up. The only break we’ve got data for is Big Wave Bay, and it’s a sheltered spot, so it needs a good push to get going, and that push just isn’t coming.

We're starting off on the 18th of August with a tiny 3ft swell from the east, but with a cross-on wind at 16 mph, and combined wave energy of just 28, it’s choppy and messy. Not worth paddling out for.

The week carries on the same story. We see a bit of a bump around the 19th and 20th, with swell up to 6ft from the east and northeast, and the combined energy climbs into the hundreds (228 to 239). But don’t get excited – the wind is a fresh cross or cross-on shore at 16 to 22 mph. That means lumpy, cross-chop conditions. The water temp is sitting at 84°F, which is about normal for this time of year, but the wind is ruining any chance of a clean wave.

From the 21st of August onwards, it gets really sad. Swell drops to 2ft or less. There are a few moments in the mornings with a light, clean cross-offshore wind (like on the 22nd and 23rd), but the swell is basically nonexistent, with combined energy in the single digits or low twenties. The 27th shows a bit of a pulse with a 15-second period groundswell from the southeast, giving a combined energy of 100, but it’s only 1ft. That’s not enough to break properly, especially at a sheltered bay.

As we roll into the first week of September, the 1st and 2nd offer clean, offshore winds (north and northwest), but again, the swell is just a ripple – 0.3ft to 0.7ft. The long 13-second period on the 2nd of September afternoon means it’s a groundswell, but with no height, it’s just a tease.

So, there’s no standout day here, no best on offer. It’s a full 16-day gap with nothing to recommend. For an area like this, a blank run happens when the swell window just doesn’t align. Don't trade your board for a kite just yet, but honestly, with these conditions, a kite would have more fun than a paddle surfer. Forecasts can change, but right now, there's nothing on the menu.

Rusty.

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