Forster Beach (Nambucca) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, the Nambucca coast is in for a bit of a waiting game. The first week is mostly a write-off, but there’s a glimmer of something special trying to push through late in the second week. It’s not all bad, but you’ll need patience.

The first real chance to get wet is Wednesday afternoon, July 15th. Forster Beach (Nambucca) has 6 ft of S swell, but the period is a short 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit crumbly. The wind is a cross-off from the SSW at 16 mph, so it’ll be clean, but the combined energy is only moderate (397). It’s a beginner-friendly break, but the waves are just ordinary—marginal.

Thursday the 16th and Friday the 17th are a bit of a mess. The swell jumps to 8 ft on Thursday, but it’s still short-period (8 seconds) and a cross-off wind keeps it manageable. The energy is moderate (784–817). Friday morning is similar at 7 ft, but by Friday afternoon the wind swings cross-shore, and the conditions get choppy and poor. Not worth it.

The weekend of the 18th and 19th is a hard pass for paddle surfing. The swell hits 10 ft on Saturday, with the combined energy climbing into the strong range (1119–1620). By Sunday, it’s 10 ft to 12 ft, and the energy is very strong (2464–2594). This is way too big for a beginner break, and even for experienced surfers, the wind is fresh and cross-off, making it a messy beast. Honestly, with that much swell and strong cross-shore winds, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Monday the 20th drops to 8 ft, but the wind is cross-shore and the tide is questionable. The energy is still strong (1514–1612), but it’s just not clean.

Then we get a little window. Tuesday morning, July 21st, is where it gets interesting. The swell drops to 7 ft, period stretches to 10 seconds, and the wind goes glassy out of the SW at just 3 mph. The combined energy is moderate (991) and the forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” It’s a clean, glassy morning, and the offshore wind is ideal. The water temp is about average for the time of year at 68°, so the wetsuit is fine. This is one of the better options in the whole run.

The rest of the week into the 22nd and 23rd is small, with swell around 4 ft to 4 ft. The wind is light and variable, and the combined energy drops to the low 200s to 300s. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

The standout of the whole forecast is clear. Wednesday morning, July 29th, Forster Beach sees 7 ft of S swell with a 10-second period. The wind is a clean cross-off from the SW at 9 mph, and the combined energy is strong (1201). The forecast says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” It’s a proper, powerful swell that’s well-shaped and clean. This is the one to circle on the calendar.

And then Thursday morning, July 30th, is the cherry on top. The swell settles to 5 ft, period stretches to 12 seconds, and the wind is dead calm—glassy. The energy is moderate (894), and the forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” It’s a long-period groundswell, so it’ll have some punch, but it’s clean and glassy. For a beginner spot, this is as good as it gets.

So, the call is: the first week is dodgy, but the 29th and 30th of July are the real standouts. Be patient. The water is about average for winter, so you won’t be freezing. Keep an eye on the wind, and if you can, get out on that Wednesday or Thursday morning. It’ll be worth the wait.

Rusty.

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