Banna Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at our stretch of coast. We've got a long-range forecast on the table, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a bit of a slow burn.

Right now, we’re staring down the barrel of a week and a half with very little to get excited about. The swell is hanging in there, but the wind has been a real pain in the neck, keeping things choppy and messy. For a spot like Banna Strand that’s exposed to the west, we’re seeing a lot of cross-onshore flow from the west and southwest, just ruining any chance of a clean wave. The water is sitting at about 64°, which feels a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

We are looking at a decent pulse of swell for the start of the week, but that’s all it is – a pulse of energy. The waves will be there, but the wind will be working against them. Honestly, nothing is really coming together until we get out to the second week.

Here’s the deal:

Sunday, July 26th: It's a write-off. We’ve got a solid 10ft WNW swell rolling in, with a combined energy of 1539, so there's plenty of water moving. But with a strong 16 mph cross-on breeze, it’s just going to be a messy, blown-out mess. Not one for the paddle-out.

Monday, July 27th: The swell drops a bit to 7ft but the wind is still cross-on from the SW. It’s cleaner than Sunday but still far from ideal. Tuesday and Wednesday are much the same story – fading swell, with the wind shifting around but never giving us a clean, offshore window.

Thursday, July 30th: We get a little onshore flow, but the swell is down to 4ft. The energy is weak, around 163. There’s nothing to get excited about.

Friday, July 31st through to Tuesday, August 4th: This is the leanest stretch. The swell drops further, and the period is short. The occasional onshore or cross-shore wind keeps things average. There’s just no punch to the waves.

Wednesday, August 5th: Out of nowhere, we see a spike to 6ft NW swell with energy of 394. But wouldn't you know it, the wind is cross-on again, which is just frustrating. Thursday and Friday are similar, small and messy.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel: Friday, August 7th

This is our best window. The swell is only 4ft from the west, not a huge size, but the wind goes totally *glassy*. We’re talking zero wind, 3 mph or less. The water will look like a mirror. It’s not going to be huge, but it will be *clean*. For a beach break like Banna Strand, that’s a massive win. If you can get out on the Friday morning, do it. The crowd situation isn't mentioned as a problem, but in conditions like that, everyone will be out.

Saturday, August 8th – Sunday, August 9th: The glassy window closes. The wind picks up from the south and the swell fades. We’re back to choppy, small conditions.

Monday, August 10th: The last gasp of the forecast is a tiny 1ft pulse with fresh wind. Nothing doing.

So, to sum it up: the next ten days or so are a bit of a grind, with consistent wind problems. It’s a long gap of poor quality. The only real standout is Friday, August 7th when we get a brief moment of glassy conditions. Keep your eye on that day because it’s the one chance for a proper, clean session. Forecasts are a bit more reliable for that one since it’s still the first week, but conditions can change.

Stay patient, and watch the wind.

Rusty.

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