Woolgoolga Back Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, this 16-day window for Woolgoolga Back Beach is a bit of a mixed bag. We've got some decent action coming, but you'll need to be patient and pick your moments. The first week is mostly a write-off, with the real promise showing up later on.

The opening weekend (Saturday July 25th) starts with a pulse of energy. Saturday morning, you've got a solid 5ft SSE swell, and that’s putting a heap of energy into the water (1106). The NNW breeze is light offshore, so it's clean. The period is 14 seconds, which is a proper long-period groundswell – that means better shaped waves, but it can make things a bit straight at a beach break like this. Still, for experienced surfers it's the pick of the early days. Saturday arvo turns average with a cross-shore wind. Sunday morning (July 26th) is tiny at 3ft with glassy conditions, making it a fun option for a beginner to get a few long rides on the 12-second period, but the energy is low (267). The water sits at 68°, which is about normal for this time of year.

Then it goes dead. From Monday July 27th through to the end of the month, and right into the first week of August, we’re looking at a big dry spell. Swell drops right off, winds turn onshore or cross-onshore, and the energy levels tank. There's just nothing worth paddling out for; it's a stretch of around 10 days where conditions are poor. For a spot that's fairly consistent, this is an unusual blank run, but forecasts can change.

Now, after that long wait, things finally wake up around the second week. Tuesday August 4th is the standout. The morning session sees a good 6ft SSE swell pumping in with a strong energy reading (736). The wind is glassy – that's a major positive, meaning it’ll be clean as a whistle. With an 8-second period, the set waves will be a bit more plentiful. It's a standout for shape and conditions, but anything over 5ft can be a bit much for beginners. The swell direction from the SSE matches the optimum direction for this break perfectly, so expect it to line up well. Tuesday arvo gets a bit bigger and messy with a cross-shore breeze.

Wednesday August 5th morning is also worth a mention. The swell drops a touch to 5ft from the SE, but the NNW wind is light and offshore, delivering clean lines (energy 584). Sunday August 9th is another one to circle in your calendar. The morning has a 4ft E swell with a super-long 12-second period and a strong 25 km/h NW offshore wind. The energy reading (945) is significant. That big period and clean offshore wind will make for some powerful, lined-up waves – ideal for the better surfers, and the offshore breeze will make it feel more protected.

Crowds at Woolgoolga Back Beach can turn up sometimes, so on those better days, especially the calm weekend mornings, expect a few people around.

Alright, that's the goods for this stretch. It's a tale of two weeks: a quiet start, then a solid run of quality mornings to chase.

Stay patient, Rusty.

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