Balangan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break this down in feet and miles per hour for the crew that thinks in imperial. Balangan’s got a really solid run of SSW groundswell coming through the next couple of weeks. The water’s sitting right about average for this time of year, so no weird temperature surprises.

Starting off Thursday, July 30th, it’s a bit of a slow start. We’ve got some chest-high waves, about 4 to 5 feet, with a long 15-second period from the SSW. The morning’s cloudy and the wind’s blowing from the ESE at 15 mph, which is offshore but a bit fresh. The energy’s moderate at 1261. The afternoon picks up a little (1535 energy) but the wind jumps to 18 mph – still clean, but not the best session length.

Friday the 31st gets better. Same size, roughly 4 feet, but the period stretches to 17 seconds. The wind drops to a nice 12 mph from the ESE, glassy and offshore. The energy’s up to 1485. The morning is the pick here – clean, lined-up, and excellent conditions for anyone with some experience. Afternoon’s still fun but the breeze goes cross-off.

Saturday August 1st is a standout. Morning has 4- to 5-foot sets, but by the afternoon it’s a solid 5 to 6 feet, with an 18-second period. The wind is offshore all day, gentle in the morning, moderate in the afternoon, and the energy jumps to 2427. This is a proper day – the reef will be holding well and it’s clean as a whistle.

Sunday the 2nd is another cracker. 6 to 7 feet of clean, 17-second groundswell. Offshore wind from the ESE at 12 mph, energy at 2267. Consistent and powerful – this is the kind of session that sticks in the memory.

Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th drop back to about 5 to 6 feet. The period shortens a little through the week, but the wind stays offshore and the waves are clean. Nothing mind-blowing, but solid fun for a few days.

Wednesday the 5th bumps back up to about 5 to 6 feet with a 15-second period. Morning is excellent, afternoon gets a bit windier (15 mph) but still clean.

Thursday the 6th through Saturday the 8th gets serious. Swell hits 8 feet with 16- to 17-second periods. The energy’s in the 2500 to 2987 range. Wind is offshore but stronger – 15 to 18 mph. This is not for beginners. The reef will be cooking, but you’ll need to be comfortable with size and a serious paddle.

Sunday the 9th to Tuesday the 11th holds size but with a slight drop. The 9th sees a chance of rain in the morning, but it’s still clean. The 10th is a standout – 8 feet in the morning with energy at 2651, clean offshore wind. That’s a big, powerful day.

Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th keep the size up – 7 to 8 feet. The 13th afternoon sees a massive energy spike to 4781. The wind goes cross-offshore, so it’s a bit different to the straight offshore but still clean.

And then the big finish: Friday August 14th. We’re looking at a solid 11 to 12 feet of swell, 17-second period, and an energy reading of 7100. That’s a monster day. Morning has moderate offshore wind at 12 mph, so it’ll be clean and terrifyingly good. This is expert-only territory. The afternoon stays huge (6479 energy) with cross-off wind. If you’re not experienced, stay on the beach and watch the show.

Overall, this is a fantastic run of clean, long-period groundswell at Balangan. The first standout is Saturday August 1st for a solid afternoon session. The absolute standout is Friday August 14th – a massive, clean, once-in-a-while type day. The crowd is listed as “sometimes,” but that big swell will pull in the locals. Keep your eyes on the horizon for that last week.

Rusty.

Read more