Bird Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at a solid 16-day window for Bird Rock. It’s a reef setup, takes a south-west swell, and needs the wind to line up. The water’s sitting at 57°F, which is pretty much dead average for the time of year, so nothing weird going on there.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the first real action kicks off on Tuesday, August 11. Early morning you’re looking at a clean 3ft SW swell with a 15-second period, and a moderate offshore breeze from the NW. The combined energy is sitting at 399 (moderate), and the conditions are described as glassy. It’s small, but it’s tidy. That afternoon the swell bumps up to 4ft, still clean, still offshore, and the energy ticks up to 628. It’s not a standout, but it’s a nice warm-up.

Now, Wednesday, August 12 is where things get interesting. The morning swell jumps to a solid 10ft from the WSW, with a 16-second period and a massive combined energy of 5492 (very strong). That’s a lot of water moving. But the wind is a cross-offshore, and the forecast says it’s marginal. That’s a lot of power for a reef, and 10ft is getting into expert-only territory. The afternoon drops to 6ft, but still a strong 1501 energy. The wind stays cross-off. This is a big swell, but it’s not perfect.

The real standout, the one you’d want to plan for, is Thursday, August 13 through Friday, August 14. Thursday morning is 7ft SW, 16-second period, 2413 energy (strong), with a cross-offshore breeze. The afternoon is 7ft, still 16 seconds, 2176 energy, and the wind is a gentle cross-off. The forecast calls it excellent for experienced surfers. Friday morning is a repeat: 7ft, 16 seconds, 2365 energy, with a gentle cross-off. This is the best window. The swell is big, the period is long, and the wind is clean. For a reef like Bird Rock, that long-period groundswell will shape up beautifully. It’s not for beginners, but if you’ve got the skills, this is it.

Saturday, August 15 drops off a bit. Swell is down to 5ft, period drops to 15 seconds, and the wind turns cross-shore and then onshore, getting choppy. Not the day.

Sunday, August 16 sees a nice little reprieve. The morning is clear, with a glassy 4ft SW swell, 14-second period, and 609 energy (moderate). The wind is a light Easterly, almost glass. That’s a clean, fun size for a lot of people, and the reef will handle that period well. It’s a good morning session.

From Monday, August 17 onward, the swell drops fast. You’re looking at 3ft and smaller, with weak energy (338 down to 132). The wind stays mostly light, sometimes glassy, but the swell is just too small to get excited about. August 21 shows a little flicker of life, with 3ft SW, 16-second period, 371 energy, and clean offshore wind. It’s surfable, but it’s a shadow of the previous week.

The last week is a write-off. Swell is tiny, 1ft to 2ft, and the wind is howling on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th at 15-18 mph from the north. The energy is low. It’s not worth paddling out.

So, the standout is absolutely Thursday, August 13 through Friday, August 14. That’s the big, clean, powerful SW groundswell for experienced surfers. The secondary shout is Sunday, August 16 for a clean, smaller session. The rest is either too big, too small, or too windy.

Rusty, signing off.

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