Bondi Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Alright, look, straight up – we’ve got a long stretch ahead at Bondi Beach and it’s a mixed bag, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for the brave. The water’s sitting at 62°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a decent steamer if you’re heading out.

The next week or so is pretty grim. We kick off on Wednesday the 19th of August with a small 4ft easterly swell, but it’s messy with a 30 km/h cross-offshore from the northeast and the combined energy is weak at 273. It’s just not worth paddling out.

Thursday the 20th sees a tiny drop in size, with a 2ft ESE swell in the morning and a 15 km/h offshore from the north, giving clean conditions but the energy is very weak at 45. The afternoon gets worse. Friday the 21st is a write-off with swells bottoming out at 0.3ft. The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd is tiny and messy, with cross-onshore winds and broken up surf. The whole week from the 19th through to the morning of Thursday the 27th is a dud – no real options at all.

Now, Thursday the 27th afternoon we start to see a pulse of south swell come through at 4ft, but it’s onshore and the wave quality is poor. However, Friday the 28th morning is where it starts to get interesting. We’ve got a 3ft south swell, 10-second period, and a light 10 km/h offshore from the northwest. The combined energy is moderate at 204, and the conditions are clean. This is the first genuine window for a surf, but it’s not a standout.

The real standout arrives on Sunday the 30th of August. By Sunday afternoon, we’re looking at a solid 8ft south swell with a 10-second period. The wind is a moderate 20 km/h cross-shore from the east-northeast, and the combined energy is very strong at 1585. This is big, powerful surf, and it’s only going to get bigger. Monday the 31st sees the swell jump to 12ft in the morning and 16ft in the afternoon, with the energy skyrocketing to 14010. This is expert territory – it’s going to be massive and dangerous. The wind is cross-shore, but the size is the main event. This carries into Tuesday the 1st of September and Wednesday the 2nd, with swells in the 10ft to 15ft range and very strong energy. The wind stays cross-offshore or cross-shore, keeping it relatively clean, but it’s only for the experienced.

The best option for most surfers is actually the morning of Thursday the 3rd of September. The swell drops back to a more manageable 7ft from the southeast at 11 seconds, with a moderate 20 km/h cross-offshore from the northeast. The combined energy is still strong at 1028, but it’s a much more surfable size. The afternoon on the 3rd drops to 6ft, but the wind goes cross-shore and the energy drops to 680, so it’s not as good.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The real action is the last few days of August and the first few days of September. The standout for the big wave chargers is Bondi Beach on Sunday the 30th of August, with an 8ft south swell, strong energy, and clean enough conditions. For those who want something a bit more forgiving, the morning of Thursday the 3rd of September is your best bet with a 7ft southeast swell.

Rusty.

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