🇧🇧 BATHSHEBA, BARBADOS

Soup Bowls

The Caribbean's best wave — a raw Atlantic reef break on Barbados's wild east coast

SMALL

Live Conditions

Conditions Summary

3ft waves — but short 6s period indicates wind swell, expect choppy conditions — hitting at the ideal angle — 10mph onshore wind roughing up the surface — Note: this is outside the peak season for this spot

LOW CONFIDENCEModel-only forecast, no buoy nearby

Why it's SMALL

Swell Direction

Primary swell is 66° — matches the ideal 90° window for this spot

Swell Period

6s — this is wind chop, not groundswell. Waves will be weak and disorganized.

Wind

10mph onshore — light but will soften wave shape

Season

July is off-season — rare for this spot to get quality waves

Data Confidence

Model-only forecast, no buoy nearby

At the Break

3.0ft

LOW CONFIDENCE

Model-only forecast, no buoy nearby

Period

✗ Wind swell

Wind

10mph

ONSHORE

Water

84°F

Boardshorts

Swell Direction

85%

Wind Direction

Primary Swell

1.8ft @ 5.0s

ENE 66°

Secondary Swell

0.7ft @ 6.5s

ESE 108°

10 Day Outlook

2.9ft

TODAY

Jul 28

(8s)

4.1ft

TMRW

Jul 29

(7s)

5.6ft

THU

Jul 30

(8s)

5.8ft

FRI

Jul 31

(8s)

5.0ft

SAT

Aug 1

(8s)

3.8ft

SUN

Aug 2

(8s)

3.7ft

MON

Aug 3

(8s)

3.8ft

TUE

Aug 4

(7s)

3.0ft

WED

Aug 5

(7s)

3.8ft

THU

Aug 6

(6s)

Best this week: FRI Jul 31 — 5.8ft

Best next week: TUE Aug 4 — 3.8ft

Model Breakdown

ECMWF (45%)3.5ft

ICON (35%)2.4ft

GFS (20%)2.8ft

Model confidence65%

Updated every 30 mins · Open-Meteo ECMWF + ICON + GFS

About

Soup Bowls at Bathsheba is the finest wave in the Caribbean — a powerful, hollow right-hand reef break that receives direct North Atlantic swells with nothing between it and Europe. The wave breaks over a spectacular rock shelf, and the surrounding landscape of mushroom-shaped boulders and crashing Atlantic surf is one of the most dramatic in surfing.

The Break

The main peak at Bathsheba — hollow right that barrels off the rock shelf.

Ideal Conditions

6-10ft N or NE groundswell, light SW trade winds, mid tide

Best Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Best months highlighted · Current: Jul

Trip Planner

Barbados Surf Weekend

Weekend · 3 Days

Friday

Fly into Bridgetown (BGI), rent a car, drive the east coast highway to Bathsheba. Flying fish cutter sandwich dinner.

Saturday

Dawn patrol at Soup Bowls. Afternoon relax at the surf camp, explore Bathsheba village.

Sunday

Morning session at Soup Bowls or Parlors (the left nearby). Fly back from BGI.

Barbados East Coast Week

Full Week · 7 Days

Day 1

Arrive Bridgetown, drive east to Bathsheba, settle in.

Day 2

Soup Bowls — learn the take-off zone and the rock shelf timing.

Day 3

Parlors (the left next door) — often less crowded, equally fun.

Day 4

Explore the south coast — more mellow reef/beach breaks, good for a change of pace.

Day 5

Soup Bowls again if swell is pumping — winter North Atlantic swells are relentless.

Day 6

Rest day — rum shops, Oistins Fish Fry on Friday, explore Bridgetown.

Day 7

Final morning surf, fly home from BGI.

Local Knowledge

The rock shelf at Soup Bowls is shallow at low tide — know where to paddle out and where not to wipe out.

The east coast is the wild side — the west and south coasts are for tourists, the east is for surfers.

North-swell season (November to March) lines up with winter in the North Atlantic — heavy, consistent surf.

Local surfers are excellent and respected — be gracious in the lineup.

Flying fish is the national dish and everywhere — eat it at a rum shop for authentic Bajan culture.