Iluka-North Wall Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the first week is a bit of a struggle. There’s a decent amount of energy in the water on Tuesday morning, the 1st of September, with a combined swell energy of 223 (moderate), pushing in a 3ft SSE swell at 9 seconds. But the real winner that morning is the wind – it’s glassy, dead calm from the NW. That’s a rare treat, and it’ll have Iluka-North Wall (breakwater) looking clean and tidy. The water temp is sitting at 68°F, which is pretty much bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there. It’s a beginner-friendly wave, but it’ll be a fun little session for anyone.

That Tuesday arvo, the wind swings hard to the NE at 15 mph, and it turns into a cross-on mess. The swell drops to 1ft, and the period is a very long 14 seconds – that’s proper groundswell, but with that wind and size, it’s just not going to do anything for us. Wednesday and Thursday mornings offer a glimmer – clean conditions with light winds – but the swell is tiny and ordinary. The standout in the first week is easily that Tuesday morning session. After that, it’s a whole lot of nothing until Thursday the 10th of September.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. On Thursday the 10th of September, a big pulse of swell arrives. Thursday morning sees 8ft from the SSE with a 12-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 1944 (strong). The wind is cross-shore from the SSE at 15 mph, so it’s going to be lumpy and challenging. That’s expert territory, no question. It gets even bigger Thursday afternoon – 10ft with a 15-second period, with energy at 3355 (very strong). The wind is cross-on, so it’s going to be a messy, powerful beast. This is big, powerful groundswell, and at a breakwater, it’s going to be a heavy, shifting wave. Only for the very experienced, and even then, it’ll be a battle.

Friday the 11th of September sees the swell backing off to 7ft in the morning, still with a decent 10-second period and energy of 833 (strong). The wind is light from the SE, so it’s a bit less chaotic, but still a big, powerful wave. It’s a better bet than Thursday, but still strictly for the experts.

The following week is a letdown. The swell drops away, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-shore, and the surf is poor. There’s a brief moment on Wednesday the 16th of September with a glassy morning, but the swell is a weak 3ft from the E with a short 6-second period and energy of 104 (weak). It’s surfable, but barely worth paddling out for.

Honestly, the best on offer is that Tuesday morning, the 1st of September. It’s small and clean, a perfect little window for a longboard or a fun board. The big stuff on the 10th and 11th is a spectacle, but it’s a serious, expert-only affair. The rest of the time, you’re better off doing something else.

Rusty.

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