Black Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, checking in on the next couple of weeks for this stretch of coast.

We’re looking at a pretty quiet start with a bit of a wait for anything that’ll get the heart rate up. The first week or so is mostly small, but there is a proper pulse of energy building for the third week of August that’s worth circling on the calendar.

The main show, and the only real standout I’d chase, is Black Rock, an advanced reef setup. For the first week, it’s a slow grind. Thursday the 6th starts us off with tiny 2ft waves from the east, but the water is a pleasant 68°, bang on average for this time of year so no surprises there. The wind is cross-off in the morning but it’s small and weak, with combined swell energy a measly (73). Not worth paddling out for.

Friday the 7th morning shows a glimmer of hope with glassy conditions and 2ft, but it’s still short-period slop. Saturday the 8th morning brings a slight uptick with 3ft and glassy wind, and the energy creeps into triple digits (122). It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Sunday sees a bit more size but cross-shore winds chop things up.

The first real window that’s worth a look shapes up Monday the 10th morning. We get clean, offshore wind from the west with 5ft swell – still a bit short-period at 6 seconds – but the energy is solid (280) and the conditions are good. That’s your best bet for the first week, a clean little session on a Monday.

After that, it drops back to tiny again through the middle of the month until we get to Tuesday the 18th. That’s when things get interesting. A jump to 7ft swell from the southeast, with combined energy smashing through to (492). Wind is cross-off in the morning, so it’ll be clean. This is significant size for the spot, and at 7ft it’s pushing into expert-only territory.

But the real gem arrives Wednesday the 19th morning. Offshore wind from the southwest, 6ft of east swell with a 9-second period – that’s good energy (440) and shape. The whole week from the 19th into the 21st holds consistent 5ft to 6ft east swell with clean conditions. Friday the 21st afternoon is a real highlight: offshore west wind and a clean 5ft wave (411 energy). That’s a proper session.

Because this is an exposed reef, and the swell is coming from the east-northeast to east, it lines up perfectly with Black Rock’s optimum. Crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so expect company, it’s a well-known spot. It’s a consistent break, so it’ll be working. Just remember, with these sizes over 5ft, beginners should sit it out, and anything over 8ft is strictly for the experienced crew.

So to sum it up: a slow start with only Monday the 10th offering a brief clean window. Then a real solid run kicks off Tuesday the 18th through Friday the 21st, with the standout being Wednesday the 19th morning. That’s the one I’d be paddling out for.

Rusty.

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