Big Wave Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty.

Right now, it’s a pretty bleak picture. There’s a full 14-day stretch here where you’d be lucky to get anything worth paddling out for. The surf is just not showing up for Big Wave Bay at all through the middle of September and into the last week. We’ve got wave energy barely ticking over, with combined swell energy values mostly sitting in the weak range – 45, 38, down to single digits – so it’s flat, or close to it, for a long time. The wind is a problem too; it’s cross-on from the east nearly every day, chopping things up even on the tiny days.

It’s not until the very end of the forecast, on the 27th of September, that we see a hint of life. That Sunday morning, the wind goes glassy – dead calm – and the swell direction shifts to the southeast with a period of 14 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, and combined energy jumps to 123 (moderate). The waves are only around 2 ft, but with those conditions, it’s clean. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Honestly, that’s your best option in the whole window, and even then, it’s not exactly a standout.

Now, the real kicker comes on the 29th of September, that Tuesday morning. We’ve got a 18 ft swell from the southeast with a very long period of 13 seconds and perfect offshore north wind – glassy. The combined energy is an enormous 10400 (very strong wave energy). For a spot that’s sheltered and suited to a beginner-friendly break like Big Wave Bay, that is way too big. It’s strictly for experts only, and even then, you’d have to be mad to try it. The water temp sits at 83°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year.

So, bottom line: if you’re a beginner or an intermediate, this whole 16-day run is a write-off. Conditions don’t improve for two solid weeks, and then when they do, it’s either tiny and average or massive and dangerous. Hang in there – it tends not to stay this poor for long, but this one’s a tough stretch.

Rusty

Read more