Jelly Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Jelly Bowl over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I’ll be straight with you – the outlook is pretty grim. For the next 16 days, there’s hardly a wave worth paddling for. The surf stays small, the wind is almost always up, and the conditions are just messy. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf with very little to get excited about. The first sign of anything even close to surfable doesn’t show up until the morning of Friday the 28th of August, and even then it’s just a marginal call.

Saturday 24th to Thursday 27th of August – Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Tiny dribbles of swell around 1.0ft to 2ft, mostly from the SSW or S, with periods all over the shop. The wind is cross-onshore nearly every session, making it choppy and bumpy. The combined swell energy is weak, sitting at 127 to 251, which just confirms the lack of push. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

Friday 28th of August – There’s a glimmer on the morning with a score of 1 out of 10. The swell is still tiny at 1ft from the SSW, but the period jumps to a very long 19 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, but it’s so small and the wind is onshore, so it’s just a tease. The combined energy hits 280 (moderate), but the wave comment says it all: *marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions*. Not worth paddling out for.

Saturday 29th to Sunday 30th of August – Back to the poor stuff. Swell bumps up to 2ft from the SSW, period around 15-16 seconds, and the combined energy climbs into the 300s (strong). But the wind is cross-onshore again, and it’s just not clean. Sunday morning gets a 1/10 again, but the wind is onshore again, so no dice.

Monday 31st of August – Monday afternoon shows a weird spike: 4ft swell from the west with a period of just 5 seconds. That’s a short-period, wind-driven mess. Combined energy is 219 (moderate), but the wave comment says *poor surf conditions*. The wind is cross-onshore. No thanks.

Tuesday 1st of September – Finally, a little hope. Tuesday afternoon shows a 1/10 score again, but the wind is cross-offshore from the NW at 6 mph, and the wave comment says *surfable waves but very ordinary conditions*. The swell is 2ft from the S at 12 seconds. The combined energy is 195 (moderate). It’s the best we’ve seen, but it’s still pretty weak. The wind is light, so it might be cleanish, but the swell is tiny.

The rest of the week (2nd to 8th of September) – More of the same. Tiny swell, cross-onshore wind, and poor conditions. The combined energy stays in the 150-333 range, which is weak to moderate, but the wind never plays ball. A few mornings get a 1/10 (like the 3rd and 5th of September), but the wind is cross-onshore every time, so it’s just not worth it.

The standout? Honestly, there isn’t one. The best on offer is the afternoon of Tuesday 1st of September, with a light cross-offshore breeze and a tiny 2ft swell. It’s the only period where the wind is actually helping, but the swell is so small that it’s really only for the most desperate. If you’re a beginner, the swell is under 5ft, so it’s not too big, but the quality is so poor it’s hard to recommend.

Crowds at Jelly Bowl can be a problem sometimes, but with this forecast, I reckon you’ll have the place to yourself – and that’s probably for the best.

Wrap up: This is a 16-day blank run. There’s no surf to speak of, and the few marginal moments are not worth the drive. The wind is mostly cross-onshore, the swell is tiny, and the energy is low. It’s a proper dry spell. But hey, that’s Jelly Bowl for you – it can go quiet like this. Forecasts can change though, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty

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