Blue Bowls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it.

We’ve got a run of surf on the cards for Blue Bowls, but it’s not all going to be pretty. The opening days of this stretch are nothing to write home about, with a lot of onshore wind messing up what could be a decent pulse of swell. The energy in the water is strong, with combined readings in the 2000s and 3000s for the early part, but the wave quality is just not there. It’s going to be lumpy and cross-onshore, more frustration than fun. We’re looking at a gap of a couple of days where you’re better off staying on the beach.

The first real glimmer of hope arrives on Wednesday morning, the 19th of August. The wind drops away completely to glass, and while the swell eases off slightly to 5.6ft from the S, the clean conditions make it a completely different wave. It’s still a bit of a jumbled period, around 16 seconds, but it’s the best the start of the week has to offer. That’s the standout, honestly, because nothing else in that first week gets close. The energy is still strong, around 2140, but it’s the glassy surface that will have you paddling out.

After that, it’s a bit of a slide into mediocrity. The swell drops, the period shortens, and the wind goes back onshore. There’s a stretch from Friday the 21st through to Tuesday the 26th where it’s just weak and messy. The combined energy drops to under 1000 and the swell is under 5ft. It’s small and junky; not worth the drive. There’s a mention of a longer period, 18 seconds, on Sunday the 23rd and again on Tuesday the 26th, but it’s just not enough size to do anything with.

The real promise here is at the tail end of the window. As we head into the last days of August and the first of September, things start to look up. The morning of Saturday the 29th is still a bit cross-on, but by the afternoon, the wind turns to glass and we get a clean 4.6ft SSW swell. Then Sunday the 30th looks properly fun, with glassy conditions in the morning and a solid 4.6ft to 4.9ft swell from the SSW, with period around 15-16 seconds. It’s a moderate energy again, around 1174.

But the true standout of the whole run looks like it’s going to be Monday morning, the 31st of August. We’ve got glassy conditions, a SSW swell pushing 6.2ft with a 14-second period, and the combined energy jumps back up to 1465. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. It’s got size, it’s got clean conditions, and it should have some push to it. Just be aware that Blue Bowls is a reef break, and a long-period swell like that is going to be at its best. It might be lining up a bit too straight for some beach breaks, but on a reef like this, it should be hollow and fast. It’s not for beginners, but for the experienced surfer, that’s a proper session.

Following that, Tuesday the 1st of September looks like it will be a step down, but still ok, with a 5.2ft SSW swell and lighter winds in the morning before it gets a bit cross-on again.

So, overall, the first week is a wash, with that one clean window on the 19th. The second week is where the real interest lies, with that run from the 29th through to the 1st looking the best. The Sunday and Monday especially. Keep an eye on that Monday morning; it’s got the makings of something special. The water temps are about average for this time of year, running around 85.1°, nothing out of the ordinary. Mostly a lack of consistent strong wind, just light breezes, that will be the key. Signing off.

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