Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it’s a tough stretch. We’re stuck with a persistent cross-onshore wind direction and a lot of poor surf conditions. The good news is that there are a few windows where the stars align just enough to get a session in.

The only spot in the game is Otter Rock, a point break that’s fairly consistent but exposed to the swell. We’re starting out with a serious downside: the water temperature is sitting at 51°F, which is a massive 7°F colder than normal for this time of year. That’s a wild anomaly, so you’ll need a thick wetsuit, hood, and booties just to think about it.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Thursday, July 16th. The morning session is a bare minimum, with a 2 ft swell from the WNW, but the wind is a light cross-onshore at 10 km/h. It’s a marginal call, but the wave energy is moderate (439). The afternoon gets a bit better: the wind swings to light onshore at 10 km/h, the swell nudges up to 2 ft, and the energy is still moderate (464). It’s not going to be epic, but it might be the cleanest you’ll see it all week.

The next standout is Friday, July 17th. The morning is the pick of the entire forecast. We’ve got a solid 3 ft swell from the WNW, with a period of 17 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, which means proper waves for a point break like Otter Rock. The wind is light and cross-onshore at 10 km/h, keeping it fairly clean. The combined energy is moderate (749). It’s a marginal call, but if you pick the right tide, this is the one to go for. The afternoon session gets blown out by a moderate 25 km/h cross-onshore, so morning is the move.

Saturday, July 18th sees the swell push up to 5 ft from the NW in the morning, but it’s a short period of 10 seconds and a cross-onshore wind. The energy is moderate (873), but it’ll be a bit of a mess. The afternoon is cross-shore and choppy.

Sunday, July 19th stacks up to 6 ft and 6 ft from the NW, but the period drops to 8 seconds and the wind is a moderate cross-onshore. That’s too much wind for that size, making it choppy and unappealing.

Monday, July 20th returns to a marginal 5 ft to 5 ft NW swell, with gentle cross-onshore winds. The energy is moderate (593 to 707). It’s a “maybe” day if the wind lays off a bit more.

After that, the swell drops off significantly. From Tuesday, July 21st through to Saturday, July 25th, we’re looking at tiny waves of 1 ft to 2 ft, mostly from the SW. The energy drops to weak (162 to 305). The long period SW groundswell on the 25th (23 seconds) is a tease, but it’s only 1 ft. Not worth paddling out.

There’s a final spike on Sunday, July 26th and Monday, July 27th, with 5 ft to 6 ft NW swell, but again, the period is a short 8 to 9 seconds and the wind is a moderate cross-onshore. It’s the same story – poor to marginal surf.

The bottom line: For the next 16 days, the best bet is Friday, July 17th morning. Get out there early for the 3 ft, 17-second groundswell with light winds. It’s the only true standout. Everything else is a wind-affected grind.

Stay warm and stay patient. The ocean will turn around eventually.

Rusty.

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