Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into what’s cookin’ for Otter Rock over the next couple of weeks.

Look, I’ll be straight with you – this isn’t the kind of forecast that gets me out of bed before dawn. The overall pattern is pretty weak and messy. We’ve got a long stretch of onshore and cross-shore winds that are gonna keep the surface chopped up and ugly. The good news is there’s a bit of long-period energy popping up now and then, but it’s almost always fighting against the wind.

The first surf-worthy slot is this Friday morning, the 17th of July. We’ve got a 3-foot groundswell out of the west-northwest with a lovely long period of 17 seconds. The energy is pretty moderate sitting at (576). The wind is a light offshore from the west-northwest at 6 mph, so the surface should be clean. The water temp is a very unusual 52°F – that’s nearly 7° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a thick hood and gloves. This is about as good as it gets in this run, but it’s still a marginal session. Friday afternoon sees the wind shift to a cross-onshore, so grab the morning window.

The rest of the first week is a bit of a write-off. Saturday and Sunday have increasing swell but the wind is cross or cross-onshore, turning the ocean into a washing machine. The swell on Sunday morning hits 5 feet, but it’s got a short period of just 7 seconds and is from the northwest, plus the wind is a cross-shore 12 mph. Not worth paddling out for.

We get a little flicker of hope on Monday the 20th, with 5-foot swell from the northwest, but the period is still short at 8 seconds. The wind is a light cross-shore, so it’s ugly but maybe just about rideable for a log. The energy is moderate (631). It’s marginal at best.

From Tuesday to the end of the month, the swell drops to tiny 2-foot to 3-foot stuff. The wind remains mostly uncooperative, so the quality is poor. There’s a bit of a weird spike on the 25th of July – Saturday morning has a 2-foot swell from the west-southwest with a very long 22 second period – that’s some serious energy for a 2-foot wave. The energy is moderate (434). The wind is a light cross-onshore, so there might be a cleanish wave if you’re patient, but it’s tiny. That afternoon, the swell bumps to 3 feet from the southwest with a 21 second period and a much higher energy reading of (785), but the wind is still cross-onshore. It’s a tease.

The first couple of days of August bring a bit more size, with 5-foot to 6-foot swell, but it’s short period (7-8 seconds) and onshore, so it’s just a messy, blown-out wall. That’s strictly for the experts or the kite crowd.

So, the standout? Friday morning, the 17th of July. It’s not pumping, but it’s the only window where the wind is offshore and the swell has real quality. The energy is moderate (576), the period is long (17s), and that light offshore wind will make it clean. It’s a point break, so it handles that long period well. Keep in mind it’s a beginner spot, so the 3-foot size is perfect. Expect crowds, as it’s often a busy spot.

For the second week, the pickings are slim. The 25th of July offers a glimpse of very long-period groundswell, but it’s tiny and the wind is a problem. It’s promising, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

Read more