Ballina North Wall Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got the long-range scope on Ballina North Wall, and I gotta be straight with you: it’s a lean stretch. The next 16 days are looking pretty flat and quiet for the most part, with a few decent windows in the mix, but nothing that’s gonna have you calling in sick.

We start off with a bit of energy on Wednesday morning, August 19th. There’s a 5-foot swell rolling in from the SE, period around 11 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell, but the wind is coming out of the SE at 6 mph, putting it right onshore. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is about normal for this time of year. The whole setup is messy, with a combined energy of 583 (moderate). It’s not worth paddling out for.

The next few days are a struggle. Thursday morning, August 20th, shows a little promise with a 5-foot swell from the ESE, but the period is a short 8 seconds. The wind is light from the SW at 3 mph, which gives us a clean, cross-offshore look. The energy drops to 310 (moderate). It’s surfable, but it’s not gonna be anything special. The rest of that week and into the next is a write-off – tiny waves, poor conditions, and a lot of onshore wind. From Friday, August 21st, through to Wednesday, August 26th, we’re looking at waist-high junk at best. The swell is around 3 to 3 feet from the ENE with a short period, and the wind is mostly cross or onshore. There’s a brief moment on Monday morning, August 24th, with glassy conditions and 3 feet, but it’s just too small to get excited about.

The standout. If you’re an expert and you’ve got your eyes on the horizon, the real event is on Monday, August 31st. This is a big one. The swell builds to a solid 10 feet from the SSE, with a very long period of 12 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is a massive 2426 (strong to very strong). Now, the wind is a clean offshore from the SSW at 15 mph in the morning, which is *chef’s kiss* for the North Wall. But, and this is a big but, this is way too big for most of us. 10 feet is expert territory, and the long-period swell will make it powerful and heavy. It’s a point/breakwater setup, so it should handle that size, but you’d better know what you’re doing. The crowds are likely to be there, too. This is the only real standout in the whole window, but it’s a serious one for the brave.

After that, the swell backs off through the first couple of days of September, but it stays messy. Tuesday, September 1st, has a 7-foot swell from the SSE with an 11-second period, but the wind is cross-shore, making it a lumpy, marginal affair. By Wednesday and Thursday, September 2nd and 3rd, it’s back to small, weak, and choppy.

Overall: We’ve got a long, flat gap from now until the end of the month, with only a few very ordinary days. The one true standout is Monday, August 31st, but it’s for experts only. If you’re a beginner, give it a miss. If you’re a seasoned charger, mark your calendar.

Rusty.

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