Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Otter Rock.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this 16-day window is a bit of a struggle. The first solid recommendation doesn’t roll around until Wednesday morning, July 22nd, and even then, it’s marginal. We’ve got a gap of a few days before that with nothing worth paddling out for.

So, Wednesday the 22nd. We’re looking at a clean start to the morning. Skies are clear, and the wind is light from the WSW at 6 mph, blowing straight onshore. Don’t let that "on" wind fool you too much though – it’s light enough that the surface should be okay. The swell is coming from the NW at 4 ft, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (391). It’s not going to be firing, but it’s surfable. The water temp is about average for the time of year.

Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th are pretty much more of the same – small, onshore NW swell in the 4 ft to 4 ft range, with light winds. The scores are still marginal, so don’t expect any standouts. The energy hangs around 343 to 408.

Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th get a bit messier. The wind swings around to the south and picks up to 9-12 mph, making things cross-on and choppy. The swell direction shifts to the SW, but the heights drop to 2 ft to 3 ft. The energy picks up a bit (599 to 807), but with that wind, it’s pretty poor. Not worth your time.

The next week, from Monday the 27th through to Friday the 31st of July, is a real slog. The wind is mostly cross-on from the NNW or NW, with swell from the SW staying small, between 2 ft and 3 ft. The energy slowly drops from 642 down to 272. Conditions are consistently poor or marginal. Nothing to get excited about.

The first few days of August are more of the same. Small, weak SW swell, cross-on wind, and poor conditions. The only real change is on the 4th and 5th of August. The swell direction swings to the NNW and the height jumps up to 5 ft to 7 ft. That might sound promising, but the period is a short, choppy 6 to 8 seconds, and the wind is still a moderate cross-on at 9-16 mph. The energy values are strong (462 to 708), but with that short period and onshore wind, it’s going to be a lumpy, messy close-out. Honestly, this is more likely to be a kite surfer’s playground than a decent paddle session.

To be fair, Otter Rock is a fairly consistent spot, so it won’t stay this quiet forever. But in this 16-day window, there isn’t a single standout. The best bet is probably the early morning of Wednesday, July 22nd, if you’re desperate for a small, clean-ish wave. Everything else is a hard pass.

Rusty.

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