Big Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s swap over to feet and Fahrenheit for the breakdown.

The first few days are a real struggle. Starting Sunday the 9th of August, we’ve got a solid 16ft SW groundswell, with a long 16-second period, and the energy is massive (12163). But the wind is a cross-on 25 km/h from the WSW, and it’s just a mess. The swell stays big, from 15ft to 18ft, through Monday and Tuesday, but the wind stays strong and cross-onshore, ruining any chance of a clean wave. The water is sitting at 68°F, which is 4°F warmer than average for this time of year. That’s very unusual, but it’s hard to enjoy it when you’re getting blown off your board.

Wednesday the 12th, the swell drops to 12ft, still a solid SW groundswell (14 second period), but the wind is still a gentle cross-onshore. The energy is high (5735), but it’s just “marginal”. It’s a waiting game.

Now, Thursday the 13th of August is where it starts to get interesting. That’s our first real standout. The morning glass-off is the key. The wind goes completely calm with a slight air from the WNW. The swell is still a solid 12ft from the SW, with a 16-second period. The combined energy is strong (6702), and with the glassy conditions, Big Rock is going to be a proper reef-break. The report says “exceptional surf conditions for experts.” This is a big swell for a reef, so it’s not for the faint-hearted.

Friday the 14th holds up nicely too. The morning is clean with a light cross-offshore breeze from the NE. The swell is still 12ft from the SW, but the period is stretched to 17 seconds. This is a very long-period groundswell. The sets will be clean and powerful, but the gaps between them will be longer. This helps with paddling out, but it means you have to be picky. The energy is still high (5262), and the wind is light, so it’s a good day for experienced surfers who can handle a reef.

The weekend after that, the 15th and 16th, the swell settles down to 8ft, and the wind is a bit fresher and more cross-shore. It’s not the same quality. The following week, from Monday the 17th, the swell comes back up strong, but it’s accompanied by strong onshore winds and rain. The data shows a couple of days where the swell is too big and the wind is wrong, then a big storm on the 21st with near gale-force winds. It looks more like a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one for a few days there.

The light at the end of the tunnel is Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd of August. The swell drops to a cleaner 13ft on the 22nd, then 12ft on the 23rd, both from the SW. The wind swings to a cross-offshore from the SE and ENE, keeping the surface clean. The combined energy is still strong (9308 on the 22nd). The 22nd is a real standout for the second week. The reward is a score of 8 out of 10 for the afternoon session. It’s a long way off, but it looks promising. The 23rd is also clean, with glassy conditions in the morning, making it another good call for the experts. The 24th drops off to a smaller 8ft, still clean and manageable.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a washout. The best bet is Thursday the 13th for the glassy morning, and then Saturday the 22nd for the clean, powerful swell further out. Keep an eye on that long-range call.

Rusty.

Read more