The Surf Window

Cloudy Bay

Tasmania, Australia

Beach breakAdvanced

On Bruny Island off Tasmania's southeast coast, Cloudy Bay is one of the most dramatic and remote surf beaches in southern Australia, a massive exposed bay where Southern Ocean swells roll in across thousands of kilometres of open water and break on pristine sand.

Typical Conditions

The Surf Window

Swell Window

N
OptimalSSW (195°)
WindowSSE–WSW (150°–240°)
Size–SE 2–4m at 14–20s

Wind

NW

Light to N under 15 knots

Tide

Mid tide

LowMidHigh

Season

Apr–Sep

JFMAMJJASOND

The Wave

Type

Beach break

Bottom

Sand

Shape

Powerful peaks along the exposed bay

Length

80–200m

Skill Level

  • •Who it's for: Advanced to expert
  • •Why: Powerful Southern Ocean beach break in a remote island setting

Hazards

  • •Ferry access required to Bruny Island (from Kettering, 30 minutes south of Hobart)
  • •Extremely cold water, 9–12°C in winter
  • •Very powerful swells, the Southern Ocean is completely open to Antarctica

Local Tips

  • •Bruny Island cheese, oysters, and salmon are world-class, make this a gourmet surf trip
  • •The Neck (a narrow sand isthmus between North and South Bruny) is extraordinary wildlife habitat
  • •Mutton bird colony on South Bruny provides incredible shearwater displays at dusk

Location

Map showing the location of Cloudy Bay in Tasmania, Australia

-43.4533, 147.2257