Black Rocks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Black Rocks. This is a tricky reef setup that only really works for advanced surfers, and it’s inconsistent, so it needs the stars to line up. The water temperature is sitting at a normal 60° for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

The week starts off pretty grim. Wednesday the 29th has a clean window in the afternoon, with a 5ft SW swell and a 13-second period, but the combined energy is still strong at 1041. The wind swings cross-offshore and light, so the waves will look good, but the morning is a write-off with onshore wind and poor conditions. Thursday and Friday are a total loss – cross-onshore winds and choppy, messy surf. You’d be better off staying on the beach.

Now, Saturday the 1st of August is where it starts to get interesting. The wind goes glassy, absolutely flat calm, and the swell holds at 4ft from the SW with a 13 to 14-second period. The energy drops to a moderate 524, but the clean conditions will make those waves look a million bucks. Sunday and Monday keep the good run going with offshore and glassy winds, holding the swell around 4ft to 4ft. It’s not huge, but it’s clean and rideable – a solid little run for those who know the reef.

But the real standout is Friday the 7th of August. That morning we’ve got an 12ft SW groundswell with a very long 15-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 4881. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the WNW. This is serious, powerful swell, and it’s only for experts. The period is so long it’ll be barrelling and straight at a beach break, but over a reef like Black Rocks, it’s going to be proper. The afternoon before, Thursday the 6th, is also a good lead-in with 8ft SW swell and clean conditions, energy at 2225. That Friday morning is the best of the whole window, no question.

After that, the weekend gets blown out. Saturday the 8th has gale-force winds, and Sunday the 9th is onshore and choppy. There’s a tiny window on Tuesday the 11th with glassy conditions and a small 2ft to 2ft SSW swell, but it’s barely a ripple. The rest of the second week is mostly cross-onshore wind and lumpy, poor surf, with the swell energy dropping off. The 12th has a long-period 6ft SW swell, but the cross-onshore wind ruins it.

So, bottom line: the first few days are a write-off. The best bet is the glassy, clean conditions from Saturday the 1st through Monday the 3rd for some fun, smaller waves. But the absolute standout, the one to circle on the calendar, is Friday the 7th of August – that’s a big, powerful, expert-only day.

Rusty.

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