Ballina North Wall Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line.

The opening of this stretch is dominated by a solid pulse of long-period SSE swell, but for a while there it’s just way too much juice. We’re talking a serious ramp-up through the first few days, with combined energy readings pushing into the thousands - that’s a lot of angry ocean. For a spot like Ballina North Wall, a point/breakwater that’s an advanced wave, a 12 ft swell with an 11-second period is just too big to be any fun; it’s a washing machine for the first few days, despite the wind and tide being in a helpful mood. It’ll be a week of watching and waiting.

By Saturday the 11th of July, things finally settle. We get a clean window early with light offshore wind from the west and a more manageable 5 ft SSE swell. That’s the first real chance to get out, with the water temp sitting at a pretty normal 71° for this time of year. The swell energy drops back to a more moderate level, and it cleans right up. This is the standout moment in the first week - a beautiful Saturday morning session on the cards.

After that, it slowly fades. A few clean mornings with offshore breezes and waist-to-chest high waves (3 ft down to 2 ft) keep things surfable through Sunday the 12th and Monday the 13th, but the energy drains away. By the middle of the following week, the ocean goes quiet for a few days with waves barely reaching the knees.

Then, hold on. We get a nice little reminder of winter from Wednesday the 15th of July, when a new, long-period groundswell (13 to 15 seconds) starts showing up from the SSE. The energy ramps back up again. It’s still fairly small on Wednesday morning (2 ft), but that’s the first breath of the next pulse. Thursday morning the 16th is a write-off, but on Friday the 17th of July we get a solid 5 ft SSE swell with clean cross-off winds. That’s not gigantic for this spot, but combined with the clean conditions, it’s a great option.

The true standout for the second week is Saturday the 18th of July. Early, with a light offshore wind from the WSW and a clean 6 ft SSE swell at an 11-second period, combined energy in the solid moderate range. This is the best of the best in this entire 16-day window. All the pieces line up: clean, manageable size, proper energy. It’s a session you’d set the alarm for. Just be aware that Sunday the 19th still offers a clean 4 ft with a light breeze, and Monday the 20th holds similar. By the 21st and 22nd, it’s small and fading away under fresh offshore winds again.

So, the call is clear. The first few days are a write-off with too much size. The real gems are the Saturday morning (11th July) for a cleaner, smaller session and, if you can hold out, the Saturday morning (18th July) for the real main event. Don’t sleep on that one.

Rusty.

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