Ballina North Wall Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s break down what’s coming for the next couple of weeks. It’s been a slow start, but there’s a couple of days that’ll get the blood pumping. The water temp is around 68°F, right on average for the season.

Right now, through the 13th and into the 14th, it’s tiny. Waves are about 2 to 2 feet from the east, with a 9-second period. The combined swell energy is weak, between 46 and 65. The wind is cross-off in the mornings, so it’s clean, but there’s just not enough push. Thursday and Friday afternoons turn cross or cross-on, making it choppy and ugly. Not worth a paddle.

The weekend of the 15th and 16th stays poor. Saturday morning is clean but only 1 feet, and then Saturday afternoon a short-period 5-foot bump from the SSE shows up, but it’s wind-affected and cross-choppy. Sunday sees 5 to 6 feet from the SSE, but the period is short at 6 to 7 seconds, and it’s all cross-shore wind. The energy gets moderate (151 to 359), but the quality is still poor.

Then there’s a big dry spell. From Monday the 17th through Thursday the 20th, it’s pretty grim. Swell hangs around 4 to 7 feet from the SE/ESE, but it’s all cross-onshore and choppy. The combined energy gets strong, hitting 535 and 536 on Monday and Tuesday, but the wind just wrecks it. Not a surfer’s window.

Friday the 21st morning finally shows a glimmer. Clean lines, cross-off SW wind, and a 3-foot east swell with a 9-second period. Energy is moderate (212). It’s not big, but it’ll be rideable and clean. The arvo turns poor again with cross-onshore wind.

Now, here’s the real standout: Saturday the 22nd morning at Ballina North Wall. This is the one. Clean 6-foot east swell, 10-second period, and glassy conditions with zero wind. The combined energy is strong at 541. That’s proper groundswell energy, and it’s going to wrap beautifully into that point/breakwater. The swell direction is east, a touch off the ideal ENE, but with glass and that period, it’ll have real shape and power. It’s an advanced break, consistent, but expect crowds sometimes. This is the session to circle.

Sunday the 23rd morning is also decent – 5-foot east swell, 9 seconds, light NNW cross-off, clean. The arvo goes glassy again. Not as strong as Saturday, but still good fun.

Monday the 24th morning is clean but smaller at 4 feet, and then it drops off again through Tuesday and Wednesday with poor winds and small waves.

Then on Friday the 28th morning, there’s a big, raw swell forecast: 7 feet from the SSE, with a very long 12-second period. The combined energy is huge at 1463. But here’s the catch – that’s too big for this break, especially for a point/breakwater that prefers east swell. The wind is cross-off and clean, so it’ll be a sight to see, but unless you’re an expert with big-wave gear, it’s a look-and-learn day. The arvo drops to 6 feet, 11 seconds, still big but more manageable.

So, bottom line: the best is Saturday morning the 22nd – glassy, solid 6-foot east swell, pristine conditions. Sunday the 23rd morning is the next best. The rest is either too small, too choppy, or too big for the spot.

Stay sharp, keep an eye on the ocean, and I’ll see you out there.

Rusty.

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