Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into the outlook for Otter Rock. Honestly, it’s a bit of a rough stretch ahead. The first week and a half is pretty much a write-off with persistent cross and cross-onshore winds and choppy, poor surf. The swell hangs around 3 to 5 feet, but the wind just ruins it day after day, making it nothing but a messy, blown-out scene. The waves are short period, mostly around 6-8 seconds, so there’s no real push or shape to get excited about.

We’re looking at a long gap from Thursday the 6th through to Saturday the 15th of August with nothing worth paddling out for. The one highlight that creeps into view is Saturday the 15th of August. The morning brings a bit of a bump with swell at 6 feet from the NW (269 combined energy, moderate) and the wind drops to a light breeze, though it’s still cross-on. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there. The waves are still a bit junky with that NW wind, but it’s the best we’ve got in this whole window. It’s a beginner-friendly point break that’s fairly consistent, but crowds are often a thing here, so expect company.

After that, the swell fades fast into the 2-foot range through the second week, with a shift to longer period SW groundswell (14-15 seconds). That longer period could bring some cleaner lines, especially if the wind plays nice. The morning of Tuesday the 18th of August looks interesting with a light cross-offshore breeze and clean conditions, but the swell is tiny at 2 feet. It’s marginal, but given the drought, it’s the only shot at something glassy. The energy is moderate (408 in the tank) but those long period swells can be tricky at a beach break, though Otter Rock is a point so it should wrap in okay.

Other than that, the rest of the month is a string of poor surf and marginal conditions. Not a classic run for Otter Rock, but it’s one of those spells where you just watch the forecast and hope it changes. Stick with it.

Rusty.

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