Forster Beach (Nambucca) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Forster Beach (Nambucca). We’ve got a bit of a slow start and a few messy days ahead, but there’s one serious standout later in the window if you’re patient.

Right now, the water’s sitting at 66°F, which is about average for this time of year—nothing out of the ordinary. The first session worth paddling out for is Sunday morning the 16th. It’s cloudy with a 5ft swell from the south, period short at 7 seconds, and a cross-off breeze keeping things clean. The combined energy is moderate (287), so nothing huge, but it’s surfable. That afternoon sees light rain and the same sort of size, still clean.

Monday the 17th morning picks up a touch—5ft from the east-southeast, still short period at 7 seconds, but the energy jumps to moderate (535) and conditions stay clean with a light cross-off. Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning hold similar clean 5ft waves, energy dropping back a little but still worth a look for a beginner-friendly wave.

Tuesday afternoon the 18th gets a bit cross and choppy, not worth getting excited about. Wednesday the 19th morning is clean again with 5ft from the east-southeast, period stretching to 10 seconds—that’s a bit more groundswell character, energy moderate (443). Wednesday arvo turns cross-on and bumpy.

Thursday the 20th morning is glassy but only 4ft from the east-southeast, energy weak (189)—ordinary waves. That arvo gets blown out with a moderate cross-onshore. From Friday the 21st through Saturday the 22nd, it’s mostly poor: onshore winds, weak energy, not worth the paddle. The whole stretch from Thursday arvo to Saturday arvo is a write-off.

Then comes the standout. Sunday morning the 23rd of August—this is the one to circle. We’ve got 7ft from the south at 8 seconds, combined energy strong at 1171. That’s a proper pulse of swell, but it’s short-period, so it’ll be a bit juiced-up and dumpy on the beach. The wind is cross-off from the south, so it should be clean. This is for experienced surfers only—over 8ft is expert territory, and 7ft is pushing it for beginners. For a beach break, that short period will make for steep, fast takeoffs. Still, if you know what you’re doing, Sunday morning is the best on offer. The afternoon turns cross-on and messy, so get it early.

Monday the 24th is small and average. Tuesday the 25th morning sees 5ft from the south at 10 seconds, energy moderate (483), clean cross-off—decent but not a standout. Tuesday arvo gets strong again with 6ft from the south at 13 seconds, energy very strong (1071), but a moderate cross-shore wind makes it choppy and marginal.

Wednesday the 26th morning has 6ft from the south-southeast at 12 seconds, energy strong (1008), cross-off wind keeping it clean—another solid window for experienced surfers, though still short of that Sunday morning peak. After that, from Thursday the 27th onwards, it fades fast: energy drops, swell shrinks, and by the end of the month we’re down to weak 2–3ft waves with poor winds. There’s a gap from Thursday arvo the 27th all the way through to the end of the outlook with nothing worth chasing.

So the clear best bet is Sunday the 23rd morning: 7ft south swell, clean, strong energy, but keep it for the crew who can handle a punchy beach break.

Rusty.

Read more