Banna Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s happening at Banna Strand for the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the outlook is pretty grim for a while. The water temperature is sitting at 64°F, which is a touch warmer than we’d expect for this time of year, but that’s about the only thing that’s slightly out of the ordinary. The first week is a real struggle. The swell starts small at 2 ft from the WNW, with a weak wave energy of just 42, and it’s coming in straight onshore with a short period of 5 seconds. That’s not doing anyone any favours. The wind is howling onshore, and the surf quality is poor, so there’s really nothing to get excited about. The next few days don’t get much better. Friday morning is a bit bigger at 3 ft, but the wind is cross-onshore, and the energy is still low.

Saturday morning on the 8th offers a bit of a bump with 4 ft swell from the WNW, but the cross-shore wind and choppy conditions mean it’s still a write-off. Sunday stays small and onshore, and the energy never really gets going. The first real glimmer of hope comes on Monday morning, 10th August. The wind goes glassy, with a light 3 mph breeze from the SSW, and the swell drops to 3 ft from the WNW. The period is short at 8 seconds, and the energy is only 135, but the glassy conditions mean the surface will be clean. The problem is, the swell is so small and weak that it’s barely surfable. It’s a very ordinary morning.

The rest of that week is a mess. Tuesday and Wednesday have some clean-ish moments, but the swell is tiny or cross-onshore, and the energy is weak. The wave energy stays under 200 for most of the week. By the weekend of the 15th and 16th, it’s a total write-off with rain and onshore winds, and the swell drops to nothing.

The second week gets a bit more interesting, but it’s still not great. Monday morning, 17th August, shows a clean 4 ft swell from the W with a cross-offshore breeze from the NNE. The energy is 185, and it’s surfable, but again, it’s very ordinary. The following days show a building trend. By Wednesday the 19th, the swell is up to 6 ft from the W, but the wind is onshore and choppy, so it’s messy. The energy is moderate at 460, but the wind kills it.

The standout, if you can call it that, is Thursday morning, 20th August. The swell hits 7 ft from the WNW, with a period of 11 seconds and a strong wave energy of 1391. The wind is onshore, but the size and period are the best of the whole forecast. That’s a solid groundswell, but it’s going to be a bit of a beast. At 7 ft, it’s only for the experts, and the onshore wind will make it a bit of a challenge. It’s the best on offer, but it’s far from perfect. The rest of the second week is a mix of moderate swells but always with onshore or cross-onshore winds, so the quality is poor.

Overall, Banna Strand is a consistent spot, but this forecast is a tough one. It’s a long gap of poor conditions, and the only real standout is that Thursday morning the 20th. It’s a promising swell, but with the wind, it’s a bit of a gamble. I’d keep an eye on it, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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