Bondi Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, if you’re hanging out for a wave in Sydney, we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag ahead. The next couple of weeks start off ordinary, but there’s a couple of windows where Bondi Beach could actually be alright if you pick your moment. The swell energy is moderate to strong at times (509) but the wind and direction have to line up.

Let’s kick off with what we’ve got. This Friday morning, 11 September, Bondi’s looking pretty average. There’s a 5ft SSE swell rolling in with a 10-second period—short enough to be a bit jumbled—and a cross wind from the WSW at 6 mph. The water temp is 64°, which is about normal for this time of year. Not much to get excited about; the combined energy is moderate (509), but the conditions are marginal. Friday arvo goes downhill fast, so don’t bother.

Saturday morning, 12 September, is where it gets interesting. The swell drops to a clean 4ft from the SSE, with a long 12-second period—that’s proper groundswell energy. And the wind? Glassy. Absolute glass, with a NW breeze at only 3 mph. The combined energy is still solid at 465. This is a standout session for Bondi, especially if you’re a beginner or intermediate—it’s not too big, and the lack of wind means silky faces. The S direction is a good match for Bondi’s exposed setup. Crowds are possible though, so get in early.

Sunday morning, 13 September, offers a small 3ft S swell at 10 seconds. The wind is cross-off from the NNE at 6 mph, keeping it clean, but the energy is dropping to 142. It’s surfable but nothing special. The rest of Sunday and Monday stay small—2ft to 2ft—with clean but weak conditions. Not worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate.

Tuesday, 15 September, is flat and forgettable. Then Wednesday, 16 September, we get a big pulse—10ft of S swell at 10 seconds, but the wind is howling cross-on from the SSW at 22 mph. The combined energy is massive at 2006, but it’s lumpy, choppy, and ugly. This is one for the kite crew, not paddle surfers. Too big and blown out for beginners, and even experts will struggle with the mess.

Thursday morning, 17 September, settles to a more manageable 5ft S swell with a light cross-on breeze from the SSW at 6 mph. The energy is still strong (571) but the conditions are just marginal. Better than Wednesday, but still not great.

Now, look ahead to Friday morning, 18 September. The swell is 3ft from the S at 9 seconds, with a clean cross-off wind from the NNE at 9 mph. The combined energy is 298, and it says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s a decent chance for a fun, clean session, especially with the offshore component. Crowds will be likely, as Bondi always draws a crew.

The second week from Saturday 19 September onward is mostly small and weak. The swell drops to 2ft or less, with the odd bump of 4ft. Saturday morning the 19th has a 2ft S swell and clean offshore winds from the NNW at 9 mph—gentle offshore and clean, but the energy is only 85. For the rest of the week, it’s choppy or onshore, and the only standout is Friday morning 25 September: a 4ft SSE swell with an 11-second period, light cross-off wind, and combined energy of 359. That’s another promising but small session.

Bottom line: the best bet in this stretch is Saturday morning 12 September at Bondi Beach—glassy, long-period groundswell at 4ft from the SSE, and moderate energy. The second pick is Friday morning 18 September, with clean 3ft waves and light offshore wind. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or too sloppy. Be patient and pick your moment.

Rusty.

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