Woolgoolga Back Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are a tough watch for Woolgoolga Back Beach. We’ve got a long stretch of onshore slop and not much in the way of rideable surf. The first real opportunity doesn’t show up until Saturday the 19th, and even then it’s not going to be world-class. Before that, it’s mostly a write-off—lots of lumpy, cross-onshore conditions and weak, messy swell. If you’re desperate for a paddle, the mid-week is going to test your patience, with the swell bumping up but the wind just ruining any chance of clean faces. The energy levels get strong for a while there on Wednesday the 16th and into Thursday the 17th, with combined swell energy readings of 1465 and 1426, but that’s just a lot of power with nowhere to go. It’s all a bit of a mess.

Now, if you’re willing to wait, Saturday the 19th is the standout of the first week. The morning is looking glassy as anything, with a light ENE breeze and a clean surface. There’ll be some leftover SSE swell around 4ft with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is a moderate 276. It’s the only time in the window where conditions really line up for a proper surf. The swell direction is from the SSE, which is a touch east of the optimum SE for this break, but it’s still going to offer something. It doesn’t look too big, so it’s a good one for the less experienced crew too; that size is well within the beginner zone. Just be aware crowds are possible, as they often are when it cleans up.

After that, it’s another rough stretch. Sunday the 20th drops away quickly, with the swell fading and the wind shifting onshore again. The following week, from the 21st through the 29th, is mostly a story of missed opportunities. There’s a big pulse of swell on Monday afternoon the 21st with the combined energy hitting 1958, but the wind is howling from the south at 19 mph, making it a total mess. The 22nd has some size too, but the wind keeps it lumpy. After that, the swell fades and the wind just stays on or cross-off, leaving mostly small, gutless conditions. A couple of mornings might look clean, like the 23rd and 24th, but the swell is just too small to get excited about—we’re talking 4ft to 4.5ft at best with short periods. The last few days of the month are a real nothing burger, with weak energy readings dropping down to below 100 and onshore breezes making things choppy. It’s not looking like a period for the history books. The water temp is running about average for this time of year, so nothing crazy there.

Woolgoolga Back Beach is the only spot on the radar, and it’s an exposed beach break, so it’s always going to be at the mercy of the wind. Given the run of poor quality surf and strong onshore winds, this setup is starting to look more interesting for the kite surfers than us paddle surfers on those big, messy days. If you’ve got to get wet, make it Saturday morning the 19th, but go in with realistic hopes. It’s not going to be epic, but it’s the best we’ve got.

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