Banna Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk it in feet and miles per hour for the crew who think that way.

This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the stretch ahead for Banna Strand. It’s a sandbar set-up that’s exposed to the west, so it can handle the right swell, but this forecast is a long, frustrating wait for the good stuff.

We’re looking at a solid block of poor conditions to start. From Friday the 28th of August, right through the weekend and into the first week of September, it’s basically a write-off. We’ve got weak, short-period windswell, mostly in the 1ft to 2ft range with a combined energy struggling to get past 50, and the wind is either cross-onshore or onshore, keeping things messy. There’s a brief pulse on Sunday the 30th where the swell kicks up to 4ft – 5ft from the west, with combined energy hitting 300 (moderate), but the wind is still onshore, so the surf stays poor.

Then, from the 2nd of September into the 4th, Banna gets hammered. The swell builds, but the wind howls onshore from the west at 19 mph. By Thursday the 3rd, we’re looking at 7ft to 8ft of swell, with combined energy hitting 783 (strong) and then 1020 (very strong). That’s expert-level size with a west wind raking it. Not a pretty picture for a paddle surfer.

The real standout, the only one worth circling on the calendar, is the morning of Saturday the 5th of September. The swell is still a solid 8ft from the NW, with a period of 11 seconds and a combined energy of 1528 (very strong). This is a long-period groundswell. The key here is the wind: it’s a light cross-offshore from the SE at 12 mph, which will clean up the face. At that size, it’s only for experienced surfers, and the long period will make it a bit straight at this sandbar, but with the wind offering a window of clean conditions, this is the best on offer. The tide could be a factor, so keep an eye on that.

After that, it’s back to the bluster. The 7th and 8th of September see another big, messy pulse with onshore winds, with the 8th morning showing a massive 20ft from the WNW with a combined energy of 8031 (very strong), but it’s being churned up by a fresh cross-onshore wind at 22 mph. That’s kite-surfing territory, not paddle.

The second week of the forecast is a bit of a mixed bag. There’s a glimmer on the afternoon of Wednesday the 9th of September. The swell is a modest 4ft from the WNW, period of 8 seconds, with a combined energy of 208 (weak). The wind goes glassy from the SE. The surf should be clean and rideable, but it’s not a big swell. Thursday the 10th afternoon sees a 3ft, 11-second SW groundswell with a light cross-offshore wind, which will be clean but small.

Overall, it’s a lean period with one clear, expert-only standout on the 5th of September. The rest is a story of waiting for the wind to play nice with the swell.

Rusty.

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