Woolgoolga Back Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next 16 days at Woolgoolga Back Beach are a tough watch. There’s a real lean patch on the cards, with only a few windows that might offer something worth paddling out for. The water temp is sitting at about 68°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year, so no complaints there.

We start off with a real dry spell. From Wednesday 2nd September right through to the morning of Thursday 10th September, it’s a whole lot of nothing. The swell is tiny, mostly under 2ft, and the wind is all over the shop – cross-on, onshore, or just not playing nice. The energy is weak (combined energy values of 114 down to 51), and the models are giving it a big fat zero. Honestly, you’d be better off cleaning the wax off your board than bothering with it. The one slight glimmer in that whole stretch is Wednesday morning 9th September – it’s glassy, with a light NNE breeze, and the swell is a tiny 2ft from the SE. But even then, the energy is a paltry 96, and the wave comment is still “poor.” It’s a tease, not a session.

Then, on Thursday 10th September, things get a bit weird. The afternoon sees a jump in swell to 8ft from the S, but it’s onshore (SSE 12 mph), and the energy hits 517. It’s a messy, lumpy beast – more for the kites than the paddlers, if you ask me. Not a recommendation for a traditional surf.

The first real standout, and I mean the only serious one, comes on Friday 11th September. The morning brings a solid 8ft swell from the SE, with a period of 10 seconds, and a light SSE breeze that’s straight onshore. The energy is massive at 1308. Now, 8ft is expert territory – it’s big, powerful, and not for the faint-hearted. The period is 10 seconds, so it’s a solid groundswell, but with that onshore wind, it’ll be a challenge. The afternoon cleans up a bit with a cross-shore ENE breeze at 6 mph, and the swell holds at 8ft from the SE. This is your best bet for the whole 16 days if you’ve got the balls and the skills. But look, it’s a Friday, and it’s a big, raw ocean out there.

Sunday 13th September and Monday 14th September offer a bit of relief. The mornings are your go-to. Sunday morning has a 5ft swell from the E (period 7 seconds) with a nice cross-off NNE breeze at 9 mph. The energy is 467, and the wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” Monday morning is similar – 4ft from the E, cross-off N wind, and energy of 402. Both are clean. The swell is a bit short-period (7 seconds), so it’ll be a bit crumbly and not as powerful as the big Friday, but it’s a far more manageable size for most surfers. These are your best bets for a fun, clean session without the terror.

After that, we’re back to average stuff. The energy drops off, and the wind gets messy again through to the end of the 16 days on Thursday 17th September. That Thursday afternoon is glassy, but the swell is a pathetic 2ft from the E. No energy. No juice.

So, to sum it up: the first 8 days are a write-off. The standout is Friday 11th September for the big-wave crew, but it’s a raw, expert-only affair. For the average punter, the mornings of Sunday 13th and Monday 14th September are your best chance for a clean, fun surf. It’s not a great run, but that’s the hand we’ve been dealt. Keep an eye on the charts – it can always turn.

Rusty.

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