Black Rocks Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Grab a coffee and let’s get into it. We’ve got a wild ride coming to Black Rocks Jetty, but you’ll need to be patient. The first week is all about waiting for the right windows, but the second half of the outlook has some serious potential if you’re willing to wait.

This is a reef break, very consistent and exposed to the SW swell. It’s an advanced spot, so this is not the place for learners. The water is sitting at a balmy 77°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – over four degrees above average, so you can leave the thick rubber at home. The jetty focuses that energy, but the size and power we’re seeing means this is for experienced surfers only.

We kick off on Friday the 28th of August with a meaty 12ft SSW swell (7390 energy units) but it’s a write-off. That 16 mph SSE cross-wind is going to put a nasty chop on it. Avoid it.

Saturday the 29th of August is the first real standout. Morning sees the same 12ft SSW groundswell, but the wind has dropped to a 3 mph cross-offshore breeze from the ESE. That’s a clean-up. The afternoon is even better – absolutely glassy, with a 10ft SSW swell. This is powerful, long-period stuff (15 seconds) that will be bending around the jetty perfectly for the crew that can handle it. This is as good as it gets for the first week. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

Sunday the 30th is another gem. Glassy conditions from dawn to dusk. The swell drops from 8ft to 7ft, but the period is still a solid 13-14 seconds. Combined energy is still strong (2106 to 1512). For a reef, this is dreamy stuff. Clean, powerful lines.

Monday the 31st is the turning point. The morning is glassy with a smaller 5ft S swell, and it’s still clean. But the afternoon goes to crap as the onshore wind and smaller swell kill it. From Monday afternoon through to the end of the first week, we are looking at weak, small surf. There’s a grim stretch from the 31st of August right through to the 4th of September where the swell drops below 3ft and the energy is down in the hundreds. The jetty will be flat. Don’t bother.

Saturday the 5th of September we see life again. Saturday morning delivers a clean, glassy 6ft SW groundswell with a very long 16-second period. That’s a serious groundswell. The energy jumps back up to 1726. The caveat here is that long period swells can be a bit too straight for some beach breaks, but on a reef like this, it’s going to produce some beautiful, shaped up barrels. The afternoon gets a bit bumpy with cross-onshore wind, so stick to the early session.

Sunday the 6th of September afternoon is the true second-week standout. After a bumpy morning, the afternoon cleans up with a cross-offshore breeze and a pumping 7ft SSW swell (3032 energy) with an 18-second period. Once again, the caveat about the long period is there, but on the reef, this is going to be an absolute beast of a session for experts. This is a serious step-up day.

After Sunday, the forecast gets messy again. The 7th and 8th of September see onshore winds and size that is both big (10ft to 12ft) and blown out. That’s a kite-surfing setup, not a paddle session. The 9th is cross-shore and choppy.

The final window is Saturday the 12th of September. The morning is glassy again, with a 7ft S swell and a solid 15-second period. This is a promising, clean day to wrap up the run. The energy is good (1963), but the crowd situation is likely, so be prepared to share the peak.

Overall, don’t waste your energy on the flat spell in the middle. Focus on Saturday the 29th of August and the glassy sessions on Sunday the 30th. For the second week, the morning of the 5th and the afternoon of the 6th of September are your best bets – but remember, long period swells demand respect and experience.

Rusty.

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