Bondi Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Bondi Beach over the next couple of weeks.

Straight off the bat, I gotta say, it’s a pretty bleak stretch for us paddle surfers. The first week and a half is basically a write-off, with a long gap of poor surf conditions. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window, but the first real glimpse of anything worthwhile doesn’t show up until Thursday the 13th of August, and even then, it’s marginal.

The water temp is sittin’ at 62°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be wantin’ that extra rubber.

The Wait and the First Pulse

The first few days are tiny. We’re talkin’ ankle-snappers from Saturday the 8th right through until Wednesday the 12th. You’ll see a few clean, offshore windows with the wind out of the N or NW, but the swell is just too small to do anything with. The energy is practically zero.

Then, on Thursday the 13th of August, the south swell starts to fill in. The morning will be a bit messy with a cross-shore wind and a 5ft swell (moderate energy of 271), but the wind shifts around by the afternoon. On Thursday afternoon, that south swell jumps to 6ft with a period of 11 seconds, and the energy ramps right up to 820. That’s a solid pulse. It’s a long-period groundswell, so it’ll have some punch but might be a bit tricky to handle on a beach break. However, the wind goes light and variable, just a slight air, so it could be glassy. The score for that session is a 2, which is the best we see all forecast. The problem is the crowd factor – Bondi is often packed, so expect company.

The Best of a Tough Run

If I had to pick the one standout, it’s that Thursday afternoon on the 13th. That 6ft of south swell with near-perfect, glassy conditions is the best on offer. The swell is over 5ft, so it’s getting a bit big for beginners, but for the experienced crew, it’ll be a proper session. The next best option is Friday morning, the 14th of August. The swell drops to 4ft but the period stays at 11 seconds, and we get a clean cross-offshore wind from the west. The energy is still moderate at 324. It’s a smaller, cleaner version of the day before.

The Rest of the Run

After that little pulse, it’s a slow fade. The swell drops back below 3ft from the 15th onward, and the wind gets messy onshore, putting a chop on everything. The energy drops back to weak, two-digit numbers. There’s a glimmer of clean conditions on the 20th and 23rd, but the swell is barely a ripple. For the second week, just forget it – the energy is too low and the conditions are too choppy for a decent paddle.

Look, this is a tough one. For 16 days, we’ve got one proper afternoon and one decent morning. It’s a real test of patience. But it tends not to stay this poor for long. Keep an eye on the charts, because a change is always comin’.

Rusty.

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