Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with ya—this stretch from August 13th through the end of the month is a tough one for Otter Rock. It’s a point break that’s fairly consistent, but the wind and swell just aren’t playing ball. The water temp is a shocking 50°F, which is a massive 9°F colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a thick steamer. There’s a long gap right at the start with no real surf to recommend, and the first hint of anything on the radar doesn’t come until the morning of Wednesday, August 26th.

The whole outlook is plagued by cross-onshore winds, and most of the swell windows are tiny. The first few days are a write-off: from Thursday the 13th through to Sunday the 23rd, you’re looking at swell heights mostly under 3ft, with periods all over the place. The energy is weak, with combined swell energy values mostly in the 200s or 300s—barely a whisper. The wind is either a light or moderate cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy. Not worth paddling out.

Monday the 18th and Tuesday the 19th have a little more size—around 4ft from the WNW—but the period drops to 12 seconds, and that combined energy jumps to around 450, which is moderate. Still, the cross-onshore wind just kills the quality. You’d be fighting chop, not riding waves.

The morning of Thursday, August 20th, is the first time it gets close. Swell hits 4ft from the WNW with an 11-second period, and the combined energy is a beefier 753—moderate to strong. But that gentle cross-onshore wind means it’s still a bit lumpy. It’s marginal, not a standout.

The real standout, the only one worth circling on your calendar, is the afternoon of Wednesday, August 26th. Swell picks up to 6ft from the NW with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is 596—moderate, with some punch. Best of all, the wind finally goes onshore, a light breeze from the west at 10 km/h. For Otter Rock, which is exposed to the west swell and has an optimum direction from the west, this lines up alright. That onshore wind will feel near-offshore for this spot, keeping the face clean. This is your best shot at a decent session. The swell is over 5ft, so it might be a touch much for absolute beginners, but it’s solid fun for the rest of us.

From there, the forecast fades out. Thursday the 27th has 5ft to 5ft from the NW, but it gets cross-onshore again in the afternoon, and the energy drops. Friday the 28th is back to tiny, 2ft junk.

Overall, Otter Rock offers one real moment—that Wednesday afternoon. The rest of the run is flat, choppy, or just not worth the effort. A blank stretch like this is unusual for a fairly consistent spot, but it happens. Don’t hold your breath for the second week.

Rusty.

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