Black Rocks Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, settle in, grab a coffee. Old Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for your patch of ocean. It’s a bit of a slow burner to start, but there’s a proper pulse of swell coming through the middle of the period that’s got my attention.

We’re looking at a 16-day window, but the opening days are pretty quiet. The first real chance to get wet is Tuesday, August 4th, down at Black Rocks Jetty. It’s a reef setup, and one that’s very consistent, but don’t be fooled by the early whispers. Tuesday morning you’ll find a clean but weak 2ft SW swell rolling in with a 13-second period. The combined energy is weak, reading just 289. It’s glassy though, dead calm, which is a huge plus. That afternoon the swell direction swings a bit more southerly, but it’s still small at 2ft and the energy drops to 241. It’s ankle to knee high, a bit of a grovel, but it’s surf.

We then hit a bit of a lull for a few days. Wednesday and Thursday mornings see the swell bump slightly to 3ft, but the wind turns light cross-shore, making it bumpy and marginal. The energy stays weak, in the 269 to 359 range. It’s not really worth suiting up for. You’re better off waiting it out.

Then, things start to get interesting. The first real standout comes through on Saturday, August 8th. The swell jumps to a clean 4ft, but the period stretches out to a proper 18-second groundswell. The energy readings jump into three digits – 788 in the morning and 835 in the afternoon – signalling moderate wave energy. The winds are dead calm and glassy all day. This is where it starts to feel like a real surf. It’s still very manageable, but there’s proper push behind it. We follow that up with more of the same on Sunday, with a 4ft SW swell and a 15-second period, still glassy in the morning. The energy is a solid 656. This is your weekend highlight, for sure. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so a good summer wetsuit is all you need.

After a slight drop on Monday, the next big player rolls in. Tuesday, August 11th sees the swell push to 5ft, with a 14-second period and the energy at a strong 763. The morning is absolutely glassy with zero wind. This is quality, clean, head-high surf on the push. The following morning, Wednesday the 13th, is another gem. The swell is up to 5ft, but the energy has climbed to 853 and it’s still glassy. The afternoon pushes the size up to 5ft, with a 13-second period and energy at 859. This is proper surf, and the conditions are looking fantastic. This stretch from the 11th to the 13th is the real meat of the forecast.

Now, look further out, and there’s one more intriguing blip. On Friday, August 15th, the energy numbers go through the roof, hitting a massive 1464. The swell is only 4ft (later 4ft), but the period is a very long 19 seconds. This is a long-period groundswell, the kind that sneaks in with a ton of power. The problem is the wind turns onshore and cross-shore, making the conditions a bit ragged. It’s a real mixed bag. The swell and the energy are there, but it might be messy.

The real final flourish is Sunday, August 17th. The wind goes glassy again in the afternoon, with a clean 5ft SW swell. The energy is at 1052, which is strong. The forecast even calls it “excellent” conditions. This could be a cracker of a day, but being that far out, it’s a promising call rather than a certainty. After that, the swell starts to fade back down into the smaller range.

So, to wrap it up. If you want my call on the best waves on offer, look at the run from the 11th through to the 13th of August. That’s your solid, consistent, clean swell. And keep an eye on the 16th, that Sunday, as a long-range potential classic. There’s no shortage of swell in this window, you’ve just got to pick your moments around the wind.

Alright, that’s the gist of it. Get amongst it.

Rusty.

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