Black Rocks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get into it.

We're looking at a tricky stretch ahead for Black Rocks. This is a reef break, advanced only, and it's inconsistent which means you have to be patient and pick your moments. The water is sitting at 58°F, which is a bit colder than what we'd normally expect for this time of year, so don't forget the extra rubber.

The next few days are pretty average. The swell energy is moderate on Sunday morning, with a 5ft WSW swell and a 14-second period. The wind is a cross-off from the NNW, keeping things clean, but the forecast calls it marginal. The swell bumps up to 6ft by Sunday afternoon, still cross-off, but the energy picks up — still nothing to write home about. Monday stays in the same boat, with 7ft and 7ft swells, cross-off winds, clean faces, but the scores are just meh. The swell period is dropping from 14 to 13 seconds, so it's groundswell but not super long.

Then things get ugly. From Tuesday morning (18th August) through to the 23rd, it's a write-off. The wind goes onshore or cross-onshore, often fresh to strong, and the surf gets lumpy, choppy, or messy. There's a big spike in energy on the 18th morning with a 7ft SW swell, but the cross-on wind from the SE kills it. By Tuesday afternoon the wind is up to 19 mph, the swell is 8ft, and it's poor. Thursday the 20th is even worse with 25 mph winds. This stretch is honestly more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing — the wind is strong and cross-onshore, and the swell is there but blown out.

We get a little break on the 22nd (Saturday). The morning is cross-off and clean with a 5ft SW swell, but low energy. The afternoon is better: offshore wind from the WNW, 5ft swell, 10-second period, and the energy is moderate. It's not firing, but it's the cleanest we've seen in a while. Still, the guidance says marginal.

Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th are back to onshore junk. The 25th (Tuesday) has a massive 8ft SW swell with a 23-second period in the morning, and the energy is strong, but the wind is screaming 25 mph from the SE. That's groundswell of the highest order, but it's unsurfable. The afternoon is even more powerful with a 20-second period, but again, strong onshore wind. Long-period groundswell like this is best for reefs and points, but the wind is trashing it.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. The last few days of the month show some promise. On the 27th (Thursday), we finally get a clean window. The morning is cross-off from the NW with a 6ft SW swell, 13-second period, and moderate energy. The afternoon is offshore from the W at 16 mph, 6ft swell, period stretching to 15 seconds, and strong energy. This is the standout period for experienced surfers — clean, offshore winds, and a long-period groundswell that will wrap nicely into the reef. The swell direction is WSW to SW, which matches the optimum SE direction? Not perfectly, but it's close enough for Black Rocks.

The 28th (Friday) afternoon has a 10ft SW swell with a 15-second period and massive energy, but the wind is light cross-shore. It's marginal, but for the brave, there will be some big, clean sets.

The 29th (Saturday) morning is the best of the entire outlook. Glassy conditions, wind from the NNW at just 3 mph, a 8ft SW swell, 13-second period, and strong energy. This is clean, powerful, and for experts only. The swell is solid, but the glassy wind will make it smooth. This is the one to circle.

Finally, the 30th (Sunday) and 31st (Monday) show more big swell — 10ft to 12ft, with offshore and cross-off winds, but the energy is huge. The wind is strong, but offshore, so it'll be clean but heavy. This is advanced territory only.

Overall, the best on offer is the morning of the 29th of August at Black Rocks — glassy, 8ft SW swell, clean, and powerful. If you're an expert, that's your window. The 27th afternoon is also a solid backup with offshore winds and a long-period groundswell.

Rusty.

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