Clovelly Bombie Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks. The only spot we’ve got on the radar is Clovelly Bombie, a deep-water reef that doesn’t fire all that often. It’s an inconsistent wave, so when it does show, it’s worth a look.

The pattern starts off pretty flat. From Wednesday the 22nd through to the end of July, it’s pretty grim – the swell is tiny, mostly under 3ft, with a weak energy reading. The combined energy of all swells directed here is barely registering, often below 100 (like 175 on Wednesday morning, dropping to 12 by Saturday). There’s a long stretch of poor surf conditions, with cross-off and onshore winds. The water temperature is 63°, which is about normal for this time of year, with a slight anomaly of -1°.

Thursday the 23rd has a clean morning with offshore winds, but the swell is only 3ft on a 9-second period, so it’s weak. Friday the 24th is a write-off. By Saturday the 25th, the swell is down to 0.7ft, and it’s barely a ripple. This quiet spell runs right through to the 31st, where we see a bit of a bump but with poor onshore winds. The 1st of August brings a bigger swell – 7ft – but it’s a short-period, wind-affected mess, with cross-on winds and a combined energy of 393. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a clean paddle session.

Now, the standout. And I mean the real standout. On Wednesday the 5th of August, Clovelly Bombie lights up. A solid 16ft swell from the SSE, with a long 13-second period, and clean offshore wind from the west. The combined energy of all swells directed here is a massive 8981. This is serious groundswell. The period is over 15 seconds, which means it’s a very long-period event – the kind that will push through with real power, but at a reef like Bombie, that’s exactly what you want. It’s not for the faint-hearted, though. 16ft is only for experienced surfers, and the crowds are possible here. The swell direction (SSE) is not the optimum ENE, but the size and quality of the swell, combined with clean offshore conditions, will make for some amazing, heavy waves. Thursday the 6th is still pumping, with 15ft and 12ft swells, but the wind swings cross-off, so it’s not quite as clean.

So, to wrap it up: the first week and a half are a flat, frustrating wait. The real action is a long-range promise for the 5th and 6th of August. That’s the one to circle. It’s a big, powerful, and clean winter swell at a heavy reef – but only if you’ve got the skills.

Rusty.

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