Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer at Otter Rock over the next couple of weeks.

Alright, straight up, this is a tough outlook. We’ve got a long stretch of mostly poor conditions ahead. The water is running *much colder than normal* right now, sitting at 51°F – that’s more than 7°F off the average, so definitely bring the thickest rubber you’ve got.

The first real pulse of energy hits Thursday, July 16th, but it’s barely a whisper. We’re looking at a 2ft to 2ft groundswell from the WNW at a very long 18 to 19 seconds. The energy is moderate (426), but the wind is onshore, and the wave comment is “marginal at best”. It’s not really a goer.

Friday the 17th is a bit of the same story – a touch more size, up to 3ft, but the wind is cross-onshore, and the waves are going to be a bit messy. You might find a clean one on the high tide, but it’s a real gamble.

The weekend through to the middle of the following week is honestly a write-off for quality surfing. The swell builds to 5ft – 7ft from the NW, but it’s short-period windswell (8-10 seconds), and the wind is persistently cross-onshore or cross-shore. It’s going to be choppy and ugly. For a point break, that’s disappointing. The energy peaks on Saturday the 18th (962), but it’s just a wall of messy whitewater. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle situation.

There is a glimmer of hope late in the period. On Saturday, July 25th, the afternoon sees a big shift. A new, long-period groundswell from the SW at 21 seconds shows up, with a combined energy of 1162. The swell height is only 3ft, but that period is very long. The wind is still cross-onshore, but it’s light. This is the standout moment. The following morning, Sunday the 26th, still has that SW groundswell (20 seconds, 889) with light cross-onshore winds. It’s still a bit of a “marginal” call, but it’s the cleanest window we’ve got. Because it’s a point break, that long period will wrap in nicely, offering some proper lines. Just keep in mind it’s nearly two weeks out, so it’s promising but not locked in yet.

After that, Monday the 27th afternoon mixes things up with a 6ft NW swell (10 seconds) and a lot of energy (1156), but the wind is up and it’s messy again.

Honestly, if you’re chasing the best of a bad lot, pin your hopes on the morning of Sunday, July 26th. If you’re a beginner, the whole forecast is a miss – the swell gets too big with bad wind, and the small windows are too marginal. For the experienced crew, the late July SW groundswell is the only thing that looks like it might deliver a few clean ones.

Rusty.

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