Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you about what's on the menu for Otter Rock. Gotta be honest, it's a pretty grim stretch ahead. We're looking at a long, flat spell with hardly anything worth getting wet for.

The water's running real cold, about 52°, which is a whopping 6° below normal for this time of year – that's a serious anomaly, so pack the thickest rubber you've got.

Right now, through the end of July and into the first week of August, it's a write-off. There's some small swell trying to push in, around 2ft to 3ft from the southwest, but the wind is a constant cross-onshore mess. The wave energy is weak, barely hitting 701 (combined energy), and it just gets smaller and more chopped up as the days go by. This is strictly a “leave the board in the car” kind of setup.

The whole first week of August doesn't look any better. The swell direction shifts to the northwest, but it's all short-period, choppy junk. Energy readings stay low, under 400 most of the time, and the wind never cleans up. By the 2nd of August, the swell bumps to 4ft, but it's a messy 9-second windswell with a 16 mph cross-shore wind. That's not surf, that's a washing machine. Honestly, with the onshore winds and lumpy conditions, this stretch looks more like kite-surfing weather than anything a paddler would enjoy.

There is a tiny flicker of hope right at the tail end. Around the 9th of August, the period stretches out to 10 seconds, and the wave energy climbs to 475 (combined energy). The swell holds at 4ft from the northwest. It's still cross-onshore, but the morning looks lighter – 9 mph instead of the afternoon's 12 mph. It's still not great, and the consistency is shaky, but if you were dying for a paddle, that Sunday morning (9th of August) is your best bet. Don't expect perfection, but it's the only window that's not completely hopeless.

So, to sum it up: there's no standout session here. The whole 16-day run is mostly flat and windy. The only date that even registers is the morning of August 9th, and even that's a marginal call. Forecasts can change, but for now, it's a long stretch of not much.

Rusty.

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