Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s talk about the next couple of weeks here at Otter Rock.

To be straight with you, the outlook is pretty grim for a good chunk of the 16-day window. The first solid recommendation for a surf doesn't kick in until the morning of Thursday, July 24th, so we’re looking at a long two-week stretch of mostly poor, choppy, or just plain messy conditions. The wind is almost always coming from the north or northwest, hitting the break as a cross-onshore, and that’s making everything choppy and lumpy. The water is astonishingly cold, at 50°, which is a massive 9° below normal for this time of year. That’s not just a little chilly, that’s a full-on winter wetsuit and hood situation in July.

Let’s run through the first week. From Thursday, July 9th, through to Wednesday, July 15th, it’s a write-off. The wind is constantly cross-onshore, the swell is small and weak, and the wave energy is moderate at best. Even the weekend of July 12th and 13th looks poor, with the wind picking up to 16 mph and creating a lumpy cross-chop. There’s a brief moment on Saturday morning, July 11th, with a 4 ft WNW swell at 10 seconds, but the cross-shore wind and marginal tide conditions make it a no-go for a decent session. The energy is moderate though, at 524.

The second week doesn’t get much better. From July 16th through to July 23rd, we’re still stuck in the same pattern. The swell periods are often short, around 8-9 seconds, with the wind never letting up. The only real bit of hope is the morning of Thursday, July 24th. This is the standout. The swell is 8 ft from the NW with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy is strong at 965. The wind is a cross-shore breeze, which is better than the constant onshore we’ve had. The catch is, this is a big swell, over 8 ft, and with a period of only 9 seconds, it’s going to be a powerful, crumbly, and challenging wave. This is expert territory only. The water is still cold, the crowd can be ‘often’ there, but the quality is only marginal due to the conditions. The afternoon of July 24th sees an 8 ft swell with even stronger energy at 1305, but the wind is still cross-shore, making it a messy, lumpy affair.

Honestly, for the next two weeks, the setup at Otter Rock looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The constant cross-onshore winds and significant swell events are better suited for a kite. The only real chance for a paddle surf is the morning of the 24th, and that’s for experienced surfers only.

Rusty.

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