The Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next 16 days at The Bowl are a real mixed bag, and we’ve got a long wait for anything worth paddling out for. The forecast starts on Wednesday, 5th August, but the surf is poor and the wind is a mess. You’ll be sitting on the beach for a good while before the ocean starts to clean up.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t arrive until Friday the 7th. The swell is a reasonable 6 ft out of the west, with a period of 8 seconds, and the wind swings cross-offshore. The wave energy is moderate (479). The surf quality is still labelled as poor, but it’s clean. By Saturday the 8th, the swell stays solid at 6 ft from the west, and the period stretches to 10 seconds, giving it a bit more push. The wind is a strong cross-off, making the surface clean. The combined energy is strong (652). The Bowl is a reef break, so that longer period should wrap in nicely, but the swell is getting up there – 6 ft is pushing it for beginners, and the wind is a strong breeze, so be ready for a handful.

Sunday the 9th is the standout. The swell hits 8 ft, out of the west with a 10-second period, and the wind is a fresh cross-off. The wave energy is very strong (1144). This is proper double-overhead stuff, and it’s only for advanced surfers. The water temp is 56°, which is about normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a decent suit. The bowl will be firing, but it’s heavy. The crowd factor is “sometimes,” so you might not be alone, but it’s worth it for the clean, powerful lines. The wind stays clean through the morning, but the afternoon sees a cross-shore chop creep in, so get your session in early.

After Sunday, the forecast drops off hard. The wind turns cross-onshore from Monday the 10th through to the 16th, with surf that’s mostly choppy, lumpy, or just plain poor. There’s a brief moment on Wednesday the 12th afternoon with glassy conditions and a tiny 1 ft swell, but it’s not really worth the effort. We’re looking at a solid week of average to poor conditions.

The next real chance comes on Monday the 17th of August. The swell picks up to 6 ft out of the west, period 8 seconds, and the wind is a light easterly cross-off. The wave energy is moderate (462), and the forecast finally says “expect good surf conditions.” The surface is clean. It’s not the size of the 9th, but it’s a solid, surfable wave with a good crowd potential. The swell is still a bit short-period, meaning it won’t have the punch of the earlier event, but it’ll be a fun, clean day.

The last few days of the forecast (18th-20th August) see the wind pick up again, turning strong and messy, so we’re back to square one.

Bottom line: your best bet is Sunday the 9th for the big, powerful swell, but it’s only for the experienced crew. The next solid, clean option is Monday the 17th, which is a good all-rounder. The rest of the window is pretty grim, but hang in there – the good days are worth the wait.

Rusty.

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