Ballina North Wall Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag coming up for Ballina North Wall. The next sixteen days start off pretty rough, with a big pulse of easterly swell that’s just too much for this spot. We’ll see a slow fade into a clean, smaller window mid-week, then a long, flat gap before a late blast of energy that’s again too big for comfort. Let’s get into it.

Right now, on Monday the 20th, we’re looking at a solid 10ft swell out of the east, with a 10-second period, but that’s pumping a massive 2525 in combined energy. Problem is, a cross-onshore SSE wind at 19 mph is making it lumpy and messy. This is strictly for experts only, if anyone’s brave enough – it’s that big.

The swell backs off a touch Tuesday the 21st, still at 7ft from the east with 10 seconds (878 energy), but we’ve got cross-shore wind and the forecast says it’s just too big for the break. Tuesday arvo drops to 6ft but the cross-onshore wind kills it.

Wednesday the 22nd is where things start to turn. Morning sees a light 5ft easterly swell (444 energy) and a proper offshore wind from the west at just 3 mph. That’s clean, and it’s a small window of decent, manageable surf for advanced crew. The afternoon stays 5ft but the breeze swings cross-shore.

Thursday the 23rd morning is the real standout of this first week. We’ve got 4ft from the east, 8-second period (234 energy), and a light offshore from the WSW at 6 mph. Clear skies. Clean waves. It’s not pumping, but it’s a nice, tidy session for those in the know. Afternoon goes choppy again.

Friday the 24th drops off hard – 5ft but short-period and messy, then we’re scraping the barrel by the weekend.

Now, Saturday the 25th morning offers a weird one: 2ft from the SSE but an 18-second period (345 energy). That’s a very long-period groundswell, so it’ll be slow and wally at a point/breakwater like this, but with clean offshore wind from the west, it’s a novelty. Sunday the 26th morning is another small clean option with 4ft from the SSE and 13 seconds (560 energy), and cross-offshore wind – the best of a quiet bunch. But the crowd factor: this spot is “sometimes” busy, so you might have company.

From Monday the 27th right through to Sunday the 2nd of August, it’s a dead zone. Swell drops to 0.7ft or 1.0ft for days, with weak energy barely hitting 12. It’s flat, plain and simple – not worth paddling out.

Then, on Monday the 3rd of August, a massive southerly swell arrives. We’re talking 10ft from the SSE, 12-second period, with a combined energy of 2592. The wind is light cross-shore, but the forecast itself says it’s too big for this break. This is a “look from the carpark” kind of day – definitely not for beginners and only for the most experienced chargers if it’s even rideable. Tuesday the 4th of August drops to 6ft from the SSE (779 energy), but conditions are marginal by then.

So, bottom line: Thursday the 23rd morning is your best bet – clean, smallish but rideable, with light offshore wind. Keep an eye on Sunday the 26th morning too. After that, you’re waiting through a long flat spell for a big pulse in early August that’s too much for this break.

Rusty.

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