Ballina North Wall Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. We’ve got a mixed bag coming up for Ballina North Wall (point/breakwater). The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is about average for this time of year, so not feeling any warmer or colder than usual.

The pattern starts off a bit rough, but there’s a definite standout window early in the week if you’re willing to wait for it.

Saturday 29 August kicks things off with a clean-ish morning – 4ft swell from the SSE with a 10-second period, but the S cross-wind makes it a bit lumpy. Combined wave energy is moderate at (378), but it’s only marginal, and the afternoon gets worse with poor conditions.

Sunday 30 August sees the swell jumping to 7ft from the SSE, but the period drops to 8 seconds – that’s short-period, crumbly stuff, and still cross-wind. Energy pushes up to (516) moderate, but it’s still only marginal in the morning and poor in the arvo.

Monday 31 August morning gives us 5ft from the SSE with a very short 7-second period, but the wind turns cross-offshore, making it clean. Energy is moderate (304). Still only marginal though – this isn’t the one to pin your hopes on.

Now here’s the highlight – Tuesday 1 September morning. Glassy conditions, a clean 3ft from the SSE with an 11-second period – that’s a nice long-period groundswell. Combined energy is moderate (319). For a point/breakwater setup like Ballina North Wall, that longer period means better-shaped waves and longer waits between sets. This is easily the best session in the next few days. The water’s still flat warm, wind is nil – just clean lines. It’s not huge, so beginners can manage it, and with no crowds mentioned, you should have plenty of room.

Wednesday 2 September morning is another tidy one – 3ft from the SSE, 11-second period again, light cross-off wind keeping it clean. Energy moderate (236). A solid backup but not quite the glassy perfection of Tuesday morning.

After that, things drop off hard. From Thursday 3 September through to the end of the first week and into the second, it’s mostly small, short-period slop, with winds often onshore or cross. The swell barely tops 3ft and periods are mostly in the 5–8 second range – weak and crumbly. Energy readings drop below 100 for many sessions, which is weak. There’s a few clean windows – like Sunday 6 September morning has offshore wind at 4ft from the NNE, but at only 5 seconds, that’s just windswell. Not worth paddling for.

Saturday 12 September morning and Sunday 13 September morning both offer glassy conditions again, with 3ft to 3ft SSE swell at 11 seconds – clean but small. Combined energy is moderate (219–267). Good for a quiet paddle, but nothing to get excited about after that Tuesday standstill.

Overall, the standout is Tuesday 1 September morning – glassy, clean, decent period, and not too big. If you want a wave, that’s your window. The rest of the 16 days is mostly small, scrappy, or wind-affected. There is a gap from the middle of the first week through to the second weekend with no real recommendations, so don’t hold your breath until then.

Rusty.

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