Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening at Otter Rock. This is a point break that’s fairly consistent over the 16-day window, but honestly, the quality is a real mixed bag. The water is sitting at a very chilly 51°F, which is a whopping 7°F colder than normal for this time of year – that’s proper unusual, so you’ll want a thick suit and booties if you’re heading out.

The first real surf to talk about shows up Thursday morning, July 16th. We’ve got a tiny 2ft swell out of the WNW with a long 19-second period and moderate wave energy (426). The wind is light and offshore from the WSW, so it’ll be glassy clean, but the swell is just too small to get excited about. The afternoon stays clean with a light offshore breeze, but the waves are still only 2ft.

Friday, July 17th, the swell picks up a touch to 3ft from the WNW, but the wind swings NW and goes cross-onshore, putting a chop on the surface. The period drops to 17 seconds, keeping the energy moderate (574). Not great, but rideable for a beginner on a longboard.

Saturday, July 18th, is where we see the biggest push of the whole forecast. The morning swell is 3ft WNW, but the real story is the afternoon: the swell jumps to 5ft out of the NW with a short, choppy 9-second period and strong energy (903). That’s strong wave energy, but with a strong cross-onshore wind at 16 mph, it’s going to be a messy, bumpy mess. This setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, honestly.

Sunday, July 19th, is similar. The swell holds at 5ft to 6ft from the NW, short period of 8 seconds, and moderate to strong energy (523 to 706). The wind is cross-shore, so it’s not completely blown out, but it’s still messy. This is marginal at best.

Monday, July 20th, through Wednesday, July 22nd, the swell stays in the 4ft to 6ft range, but the period is short (8 to 9 seconds) and the winds are mostly cross-onshore. The energy is moderate (446 to 749), but conditions are consistently poor or marginal. Not a standout stretch.

Now, the end of the week and into the second week gets a little more interesting, but it’s still small. Friday, July 24th, we see a tiny 1ft swell from the SW with a very long 26-second period and moderate energy (364). The wind is light cross-onshore, but the swell is just too small to do anything with.

The real head-scratcher is the weekend of July 25th and 26th. The swell is 2ft to 3ft, but the period is long – 20 to 22 seconds – and the energy is moderate to strong (394 to 677). The issue is the swell direction is WSW to SW, which isn’t the optimum W direction for this break. The wind is light offshore or light cross-onshore, so it will be clean. This is promising for a point break, as the long period groundswell will wrap in nicely, but the size is tiny. If you’re a beginner, this is your best bet for a clean, tiny wave.

The last few days, from July 27th to July 31st, the swell stays small, 2ft to 3ft, with a long period of 15 to 19 seconds. The energy is moderate (436 to 619). The wind is mostly light and cross-onshore. It’s marginal, but the long period gives it a chance to form a clean line on the point.

If I have to pick one standout, it’s the morning of Saturday, July 25th. The swell is only 2ft from the WSW, but the period is a very long 22 seconds, creating clean, long lines. The light cross-onshore wind will keep the surface smooth. It’s not a big wave, but the quality of the long period groundswell on a point break like Otter Rock will give you the best ride of the whole forecast. The energy is moderate (394). For a log or a funboard, that’s the session to target.

Stay safe out there, and don’t forget the warm rubber.

Rusty.

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