Cave Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer around Cave Rock for the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you—this is a tough one. The forecast is loaded with strong cross-shore and cross-onshore winds, and the quality is just not there for most of the period. We’re looking at a long, frustrating stretch with very little to get excited about.

The first bit of surf that even shows up isn’t until Saturday the 1st of August, and even then it’s marginal at best. The wind is a moderate cross-shore in the morning, with a lumpy 7ft SE swell, but the cross-chop makes it a real battle. The combined energy is moderate (693). The afternoon sees the wind shift cross-onshore, making it choppy. It’s not a write-off, but you’d have to be keen.

Sunday the 2nd of August is a bit better—still not clean, but the swell bumps up to 8ft from the SE with a period of 11 seconds, giving it a bit more push. The combined energy is strong (1483). The wind is a gentle cross-onshore, so it’s still lumpy, but with a light breeze, there’s a chance of a few workable waves. The afternoon cleans up a little more with a light breeze out of the south. Marginal, but the best we’ve seen so far.

Monday the 3rd of August sees a drop in size to 7ft, and the wind goes cross from the NE, which is a better direction for Cave Rock, but the chop is still there. The combined energy is moderate (806). Again, not great, but the morning could offer a few if you’re patient.

After that, it falls off a cliff. From Tuesday the 4th through to Monday the 10th of August, it’s mostly small, weak, and wind-affected. There’s a brief moment on Wednesday the 5th of August in the afternoon when the wind goes glassy, but the swell is only 3ft from the ESE with a combined energy of just 140 (weak). It’s surfable, but barely. The rest of that stretch is a write-off—cross-shore winds, lumpy chop, and tiny waves.

Then, out of the blue, on Tuesday the 11th of August, we get a spike. A 10ft SSW swell with a period of 11 seconds and a combined energy of 2775 (very strong). That’s a proper pulse. But—and it’s a big but—the wind is a moderate cross-onshore, so it’s going to be a messy, choppy mess. The water temp is 73°, which is about 2° warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a small comfort. Still, this is the standout of the whole outlook, even if it’s not clean. For experts only at that size (over 8ft), and the cross-onshore wind will make it a real battle. The best of a bad lot.

The rest of the second week fades out with small, weak swells and persistent cross-shore winds. There’s nothing worth chasing after that.

So, to sum it up: the run of good surf is almost non-existent. The best bet is Tuesday the 11th of August for the swell size, but don’t expect perfection. Otherwise, the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of August offers the most consistent, albeit marginal, conditions. Hang in there, and keep an eye on the forecasts.

Rusty.

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