Bulli Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. It’s Rusty here, and I’ve got the good, the bad, and the ugly for Bulli Beach over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, for the next week and a half, it’s looking pretty grim. The swell is tiny, like 1.0 ft to 1 ft, and the energy is next to nothing – we’re talking combined energy readings of just 17 to 30, which is basically flat. You’ll see a few glassy mornings on Sunday, August 30th, and Monday, August 31st, with that slick 5 km/h ESE or E wind, but there’s nothing to push you around. The water temp is sitting at 64°F which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. Tuesday morning, September 1st, has a clean look with a NNW cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is still only 1.0 ft – all you’ll be doing is bobbing around.

We get a slight pulse on Wednesday, September 2nd, with the morning showing 2 ft from the NE and a 15 km/h offshore from the NW. The period is a weak 6 seconds, so it’s windswell, not groundswell, and the combined energy is only 67. It’s rideable, but barely. The rest of that week and into the next is just a parade of “poor surf conditions” – tiny waves, onshore winds, or just flat spells with zero energy. There’s a big gap of nothing worthwhile from the 3rd of September right through to the 7th.

Now, here’s the first real standout. It’s not a classic, but it’s the best we’ve got. On Monday, September 8th, the morning shows a 5 ft swell from the NE. That’s a proper size, but paired with a 6-second period, it’s going to be a bit lumpy and fat. The combined energy jumps to 184 (moderate), and the wind is a clean 15 km/h north-northeasterly cross-offshore. This is an advanced-level wave at 5 ft, especially with that short period, but it’s the first time we’ve got any real push. The crowds at Bulli Beach can be “sometimes” an issue, so on a Monday you might have a bit of room.

The next day, Tuesday, September 9th, is actually the true highlight, but it comes with a warning. The morning swell is 4 ft from the NE with a 7-second period, and the wind is a strong 30 km/h westerly cross-offshore. That’s a fresh breeze, but it’s offshore, so it’ll be clean. The combined energy is 160. It’s a big, powerful wave, and at 4 ft it’s on the edge of being too much for beginners. For the afternoon, the swell drops to 3 ft, but the wind stays strong and offshore. The real problem shows up on Wednesday, September 10th, when the wind switches to a fresh 30 km/h southerly cross-onshore, making it lumpy and messy. So, the window is tight.

The second week gets a bit weird. The swell from the 10th to the 14th is mostly tiny, with a few exceptions. Sunday, September 14th, has a long-period 3 ft SE swell (8 seconds) with a 10 km/h easterly cross-on breeze. It’s not a stand-out, but it’s something. The combined energy is 94. That’s a weak to moderate day.

Honestly, if you’re a paddle surfer, this is a tough run. The only real window is the 8th and 9th of September for the bigger swell, but with that short period and strong wind, it’s more of a challenge than a treat. For the rest of it, you’re looking at flat spells. The setup at Bulli Beach is a beach and reef, so with that strong wind and short-period swell, it’s the kind of day that might be more interesting for the kite surfers than the paddle crew.

Rusty.

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