Big Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a slow start at Big Rock, but there’s a flash of something toward the end of the run. The water is sitting at 70°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – nothing wild, but enough to notice on the paddle out.

Right now, the first few days are a bust. Saturday the 22nd is flat with poor conditions, and that carries right through Sunday and Monday. The swell is tiny, the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, and the energy numbers are way down in the low hundreds. Honestly, not worth paddling for. You’d be better off waxing your board or just watching the horizon.

Tuesday the 25th shows a glimmer of hope in the morning: a 2ft SW swell with a 16-second period, light offshore wind, and moderate energy reading (369). It’s still marginal, but that long-period SW groundswell has some push. The problem is it’s small and the break is a reef, so it’s not going to fire. Still, if you’re desperate, you could get a couple of clean ones.

We hit a proper little spike on Wednesday the 26th. The morning bump sees 5ft from the SSW with a 14-second period, and the energy jumps to 1132 – that’s moderate-to-strong. Wind is cross-onshore, so it’s a bit choppy, but it’s the first real swell of the window. The afternoon gets even better: 6ft, same direction, 14-second period, and energy up to 1336. The wind goes light and cross-shore, so it’ll be a bit cleaner. That’s the pick of the first week. The long period means it’ll be a bit walled at Big Rock, but for a reef, it should hold up. It’s still a bit much for beginners at 6ft, but solid for advanced crew.

The energy drops back on Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th, with waves in the 2ft to 4ft range and moderate energy. The wind stays light, so it’s not terrible, but it’s not thrilling either. Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th hold steady around 4ft to 4ft from the SW with 15-16 second periods, light offshore winds, and energy in the 500-700 range. That’s the kind of small but clean, long-period groundswell that can be fun on a reef if you’ve got the patience. Not a standout, but a nice morning session.

Then the dreaded shift at the end of the month. Monday the 31st brings a 19 mph southerly wind, strong cross-shore, and the swell drops to 3ft. That’s a write-off. Tuesday and Wednesday of the first week of September stay marginal, with 2ft to 3ft and light cross-onshore winds.

Now here’s the real standout – and it’s a long-range one, so keep an eye on the charts. Thursday the 3rd of September shows a late-afternoon pulse: 3ft from the SW with a 20-second period and energy at 919. That’s a very long-period groundswell, and it’s clean with light cross-shore wind. The following morning, Friday the 4th, is the best on offer in the whole 16 days. We’re looking at 5ft from the SSW, 19-second period, and energy reading of 1677 – that’s strong wave energy. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s not glassy, but it’s good. That afternoon holds 4ft from the SW with a 19-second period and energy of 1402. This is the window to call in sick. The long period means it’ll be a bit tricky at the beach breaks, but on a reef like Big Rock, it’ll line up nicely. Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th keep the energy up with 4ft to 6ft swells, though the winds get a bit more cross-onshore. Still, it’s a solid run.

Bottom line: the first week is mostly flat, with a small window Wednesday the 26th. The real action is from the 3rd to the 6th of September. Mark it. That Friday the 4th is the one to chase.

Rusty.

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