Black Rocks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, grab a seat. Rusty here, and I've been staring at the charts for our little stretch of coast. Honestly, it's a bit of a slow burn to start, but there's a glimmer on the horizon if you've got the patience.

The action doesn't really kick off until Thursday the 9th of July. Before that, Tuesday the 7th and Wednesday the 8th are a complete write-off – strong onshore winds and messy, poor surf. You don't want any part of that. The water is sitting at a warm 77°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

The story starts at Black Rocks, a reef break that's inconsistent but can hold a proper swell. It's fairly exposed to the SW, which is exactly where the best swell direction will be coming from. Thursday the 9th is small but clean. We're looking at a clean 4 ft swell from the S with a 10-second period. A gentle to moderate cross-offshore breeze from the east will keep the surface smooth. Energy is modest at 385 (moderate wave energy). It's just about rideable, but think of it as a warm-up for the weekend.

Friday the 10th drops off in size but the quality actually improves. The swell direction swings around to the SSW, and the period jumps up to 16-17 seconds. That's proper groundswell energy. The swell height is only 2 ft to 3 ft, so it's small, but those long-period lines will wrap in nicely. The combined energy is weak to moderate (369-508). Keep it as a fun, uncrowded option for a longboard or a fish.

Now, the standout window. Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th are where it’s at. On Saturday, we get a clean 5 ft to 5 ft SSW groundswell with a 15-16 second period. The combined energy is moderate 981 on the morning, rising to 1007 (moderate wave energy) by the afternoon. The easterly wind stays gentle and cross-offshore, keeping conditions clean. This is not for beginners, mind you – that's getting into intermediate territory. Sunday the 12th is the real highlight. The swell bumps up to a solid 7 ft to 8 ft from the SW, with a 15-second period. The energy jumps to strong territory (1809 morning, 2276 afternoon) and the wind remains clean. This is a powerful, long-period groundswell that will work perfectly on this reef. It’s a proper session for experienced surfers only, as it’s over 8 ft by the afternoon. The reef setup here is ideal for this kind of energy, so the long gaps between sets will make paddling out easier, and the waves will be well-shaped. The crowds are often around here, so get there early.

Monday the 13th is still solid with a 6 ft SW swell at 14 seconds, but the energy drops a touch (1533 morning, 1303 afternoon). It remains clean and a good option for the intermediate crew. After that, Tuesday the 14th and Wednesday the 15th drop back to 4 ft - 5 ft, still clean but smaller.

From Thursday the 16th through to the end of the forecast period, it tails off significantly. We're looking at smaller swells, often below 3 ft, and the wind starts to become more cross-shore or even onshore, leading to poor, chopped-out conditions. Saturday the 18th and the following week look like a surf drought. There’s a brief pulse on Sunday the 19th of July with a very long 18-second period SSW swell, but it’s only 2 ft with moderate cross-shore winds, so it's more of a whisper than a roar. The energy is weak at 354.

So, to sum it up: forget the first few days. The window is Sunday the 12th of July at Black Rocks for the biggest, most powerful, and cleanest swell of the period. Saturday the 11th offers a slightly smaller but equally clean session. After Monday the 13th, the quality drops and the lean period sets in.

Rusty.

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