Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Otter Rock over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – this stretch is a tough one for wave riders. The forecast is a long, quiet run with very little to get excited about. The general pattern is small, wind-affected swell with cross-onshore winds messing up the surface nearly every day. There’s a gap of several days right from the start, with no real surf on offer.

The first faint glimmer comes on Thursday, 20 August. The morning shows a 3ft swell from the WNW, but the cross-on wind and that “marginal” tag mean it’s going to be a struggle. The combined energy is moderate (504), but the conditions are just light cross-onshore ripples – not the clean stuff we’re after. The afternoon is even worse.

Moving into the second week, things don’t really improve. The standout, if you can call it that, is on the morning of Wednesday, 2 September. The swell builds to 5ft from the WNW, with a period of 10 seconds, and the combined energy hits a moderate 575. The key here is the light NW wind – just a light breeze – which means the surface will be clean with small ripples. It’s the closest we get to something rideable, but it’s still only a marginal call. The swell direction (WNW) is a bit off the optimum (W), so the waves might not be as well-shaped as we’d like. For a beginner, that 5ft is a bit much, but for an intermediate, it’s worth a look if the tide lines up.

The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

In summary, the best bet is that Wednesday morning, 2 September. It’s not a classic, but it’s the only time where the wind and swell might just give you a few clean ones. The rest of the window is a write-off for dedicated surfing. If you’re a kiter, those cross-onshore days with moderate energy might be more your thing.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the forecasts.

Rusty.

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