Big Wave Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I've had a good hard look at the charts for the next couple of weeks, and I've got to be straight with you: it's a bleak run at Big Wave Bay. The whole 16-day window is basically a write-off for any decent surf. From Monday the 17th right through to Tuesday the 1st of September, every single session is flagged as "poor surf conditions." That's a solid two weeks of nothing worth paddling out for.

The water temp is sitting at a pretty normal 83°F, no surprises there for this time of year. But the swell just isn't showing up. The combined energy of all swells directed here is tiny – mostly single-digit figures, peaking at a measly 120 on the 27th of August afternoon, but even then, the swell height is only 1ft. That's weak energy (120) and not enough to get excited about. The predominant swell direction is from the east or southeast, but the swell periods are all over the place, from a pathetic 3 seconds up to 18 seconds. That long period (18 seconds) on the 25th of August afternoon is a groundswell, but with only 0.3ft of height, it's just a long-period ripple.

The winds are mostly cross-on or cross-shore, adding to the chop. There are a few glassy moments on the 20th of August morning and the 26th of August morning, but with no swell to ride, it's just a flat, clean lake. The place is sheltered and exposed to the northeast, and the optimum swell direction is from the northeast, but the swells we're getting are from the east and southeast, so they're not wrapping in properly.

Honestly, there's nothing to highlight. No standouts, no best on offer. It's a complete blank. For a spot that's fairly consistent, this is a real dud. Sometimes it's just like this, and forecasts can change, but right now, I'd say leave the boards at home. If you're desperate for a water fix, this setup with the tiny swell and cross-shore winds might be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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