Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight – this is a tough run for Otter Rock. The next two weeks look pretty bleak, with a long stretch of poor surf conditions that won’t offer much for a paddle surfer. The water is sitting at 54°F right now, which is a good 5°F colder than normal for this time of year, so it’s a chilly start.

The forecast kicks off on Thursday, the 6th of August, with a weak 4ft swell from the northwest, but a cross-onshore wind at 9 mph has it choppy and messy. The wave energy is only moderate (264). That sets the tone for the next week or so – the swell is small, the wind is nearly always cross or cross-onshore, and the quality is poor. From Friday the 7th right through to Sunday the 16th of August, there’s nothing worthwhile. The swell heights hover around 1ft to 6ft, but the wind keeps it choppy and lumpy, and the scores are all zero. The best you can say is that the wave energy sometimes climbs into the moderate range, like on Wednesday afternoon the 12th (473) and Thursday afternoon the 13th (578), but the cross-onshore winds ruin it. That 6ft to 6ft swell is too big for beginners anyway, but it’s not clean enough for anyone to enjoy.

The one glimmer comes on Monday the 17th of August. The morning goes glassy – wind at just 3 mph from the northwest – and you’ve got a 2ft southwest groundswell with a long 15-second period. The wave energy is moderate (259). This is a proper long-period swell, which at a point break like Otter Rock could shape up nicely. It’s small, but clean and glassy, so if you’re after a longboard or a mellow session, this is your best bet. The afternoon gets a little wind-affected, but the morning is the standout.

Then on Tuesday the 18th of August, the swell picks up to 5ft to 6ft from the west-northwest with a 13-second period, and the wave energy jumps to strong levels (995 on Tuesday morning, 1164 on Tuesday afternoon). The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s not perfect, but that’s a lot of energy. This is a big, powerful groundswell – period over 15 seconds actually, so it’s very long. At a point break, that could mean long, lined-up waves, but the cross-onshore wind will put a bit of chop on the face. Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th keep similar swell but with lighter winds, and the scores are marginal at best – a 2 out of 10. This is only for experienced surfers, as the swell is over 5ft, and the crowd factor is something to watch: Otter Rock is often crowded.

Overall, the only real standout is the glassy morning of Monday the 17th of August – small, clean, and with that long-period soul. The big swell from the 18th onwards is promising but winds are a letdown. For now, the rest is a write-off. If you’re a kite surfer, the choppy, windy afternoons mid-week might be worth a look, but for paddle surfing, it’s a waiting game.

Stay patient,
Rusty

Read more