Iluka-North Wall Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at this forecast for Iluka-North Wall longer than I’d like. Honestly, the next sixteen days are a real mixed bag, with only a couple of windows that’ll get me paddling out. The water’s sitting at 68°, which is just about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real chance comes on Thursday the 23rd of July, early morning. It’s a clear start with a light south-westerly breeze, cross-off, keeping things clean. Swell’s coming in at 4 ft from the east, with a period of 9 seconds – that’s a decent groundswell, and the combined energy of all swells is moderate at 207. It’ll be a fun, smooth session for the early birds, but it’s not huge. Crowds are possible here, so get in before the lunch crew.

Friday the 24th is a write-off – strong southerly winds and messy, short-period slop. No thanks.

Now, Saturday the 25th of July morning is the standout. The wind swings west-northwest, light and offshore, giving you that clean, glassy face. Swell is 5 ft from the south-southeast, but the period jumps to 14 seconds – that’s a long, powerful groundswell, and the combined energy is a strong 1035. This is quality for experienced surfers only; the power and length between sets will be significant. The Iluka-North Wall is a breakwater setup, so that long period should wrap in nicely, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. The wind stays clean all morning, but the afternoon turns onshore and messy.

Sunday the 26th morning is a lighter option – 3 ft from the south-southeast, 10-second period, with a light west-southwest cross-off. Clean, small, and a combined energy of 240. Good for a longboard or a sneaky session if you’re itching for a paddle.

Then things get grim. From Monday the 27th through to the 7th of August, it’s a long stretch of poor surf. The wind is either onshore, cross-on, or just too strong, and the swell is either tiny or blown out. There’s a few mornings with a light cross-off, but the waves are ordinary. The end of July and start of August sees a lot of southerly wind, rain, and lumpy conditions. A couple of days around the 30th and 31st of July have solid 8 ft swell, but it’s cross-shore, fresh breeze, and junk – honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The only other flicker is on the 5th and 6th of August, with some 6 ft to 8 ft swell from the southeast, but the wind is onshore and the conditions are marginal at best. Not worth getting excited about.

So, the pick is Saturday the 25th of July morning. Get on it early, respect the power, and enjoy the clean lines. The rest of the run is a long wait.

Rusty.

Read more