Forster Beach (Nambucca) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, looking at the Nambucca stretch over the next couple of weeks. Forster Beach (Nambucca) is the only spot on the cards, and it’s a beginner-friendly, exposed beach break that’s fairly consistent but needs everything to line up. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is about normal for this time of year.

We’re starting off with a bit of a slow burn. Wednesday morning the 9th is a write-off – the swell is 5ft out of the SSE with a 9-second period, but the wind is onshore from the east at 3 mph, and wave energy is only moderate (384). It’s a messy, marginal affair. That afternoon the wind picks up to 9 mph cross-on, and the swell drops to 4ft – poor stuff.

Now, Thursday morning the 10th is where it gets interesting. We’ve got a solid 10ft SSE swell with a 9-second period, and the wind is swinging cross-off from the south at 16 mph. The combined energy is strong (1351), and the conditions are clean. But here’s the catch – 10ft is too big for this beginner spot, and it’s really only for experts who know what they’re doing. The swell direction is SSE, which is close to the SE optimum, but the size pushes it past safe for most. That afternoon the swell drops to 8ft, still cross-off wind, but it’s still on the big side for this break.

Friday the 11th has a 8ft SSE swell in the morning, clean with cross-off southerly wind at 9 mph, and strong energy (1976). Still big, but the period is 10 seconds, so it’s got some shape. The afternoon sees the swell dip to 6ft, but the wind swings cross-shore from the SSE, and the energy drops to moderate (734). It’s okay, but nothing special.

Saturday the 12th is a letdown – 4ft SSE swell, light cross-shore breeze, but the energy is weak (334) and the conditions are just marginal. From there, we hit a long dry spell. Sunday the 13th through to Tuesday morning the 15th are all poor, with tiny swell under 3ft and onshore winds. Wednesday the 16th sees a brief pulse of 4ft SSE swell, but it’s a short 6-second period, and the wind is cross-shore – still poor. The run of poor conditions continues through to Thursday the 17th.

Friday morning the 18th is a tiny glimmer – 3ft NNE swell, glassy conditions with the wind swinging to glass off the northeast at 3 mph. The energy is weak (156), and the swell is tiny, but it’s surfable, and the glassy surface is a treat. Still, it’s very ordinary.

Saturday the 19th is a write-off – 1.0ft S swell with a 16-second period, but the wind is howling cross-off at 16 mph, and energy is weak (90). That long period means it’s breaking straight on a beach break anyway.

We get another small window on Sunday the 20th. Morning shows 4ft S swell with a 13-second period, light cross-onshore from the ESE at 3 mph, and the energy is moderate (552). The period is long, so it’s more of a point or reef wave, but at this beach it’ll be a bit straight. The afternoon drops to 3ft with a 12-second period, cross-onshore from the NE – still ordinary.

The standout for the whole period is Thursday morning the 10th with that 10ft SSE swell and clean cross-off wind. It’s the biggest, cleanest surf on offer, but it’s expert-only. If you’re a beginner, give it a miss. For the everyday surfer, the best option might be Friday morning the 11th with 8ft – still big, but more manageable for a strong intermediate. The rest of the 16-day window is mostly flat, poor, or too small.

Rusty.

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