Black Rocks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up at Black Rocks. This is a reef break that needs a bit of respect – it’s for intermediate crew and up, and it’s inconsistent, so it needs the right swell to light up. The water is sitting at a touch warmer than normal for the time of year, about 77°.

The action starts Monday afternoon with a clean 8ft SSW swell, glassy conditions, and a light NE wind. The energy is pumping at 2505, so there’s plenty of power. This is a standout session – the wave quality is excellent, but it’s a solid size, so it’s for the experienced crew. It’s a well-known spot, so you can expect crowds to be likely.

Tuesday morning holds a cleaner 6ft SSW swell with a cross-off breeze, and the energy is still strong at 1202. The surf is very good, but the morning is the pick. Tuesday afternoon sees a drop in size and a cross-shore wind, so it’s marginal.

Wednesday morning is a bit smaller at 4ft, with a clean cross-off wind, but the energy is only moderate at 680. Wednesday afternoon throws a curveball – a tiny 3ft SSW swell, but with a very long 19-second period, giving it 989 energy. That long period will make for some fun, lined-up waves at the reef, but it’s inconsistent. Clean conditions with an offshore wind.

Thursday is where it gets serious. Morning is an 8ft SSW swell with a cross wind, but the energy is already huge at 4633, and the surf is questionable due to conditions. Thursday afternoon is the real standout – 10ft SSW swell, glassy, and the energy is massive at 5117. This is excellent but only for experts. The period is a very long 17 seconds, so expect long lulls between sets but proper waves.

Then we hit a rough patch. From Friday morning through to the end of the first week, the wind goes onshore and strong, with huge swell up to 15ft. The energy peaks at 16313 on Saturday morning, but it’s a complete mess – strong cross-onshore winds and chop. This is not for paddle surfing; it’s more kite-surfing territory. That run of poor conditions stretches from Friday until the end of the first week.

The second week is a slow grind. The first few days of September have very small surf (2ft to 4ft) and strong onshore winds – definitely not worth a paddle. From Thursday 3rd September things start to look cleaner, but the swell is tiny, with energy under 200. It’s a blank run.

Finally, the weekend of the 5th and 6th September shows some promise. Saturday morning brings a 3ft SW swell with a clean cross-off breeze and energy at 410 – good for a small wave board. The standout is Sunday the 6th: a 7ft SSW swell, clean cross-off winds, and a strong 1748 energy. The afternoon goes glassy with 6ft SSW swell and 1817 energy. This is a solid finishing window for the experienced surfers. The Monday after that drops off again with onshore winds picking up.

Overall, the best windows are Monday afternoon and Thursday afternoon of the first week, and then Sunday the 6th of September in the second week, though that one is a long-range call so less certain.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty.

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