Rainbow Rocks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it.

First up, Rainbow Rocks. This spot is a beach and reef setup, exposed to the WNW. It’s fairly consistent, and water temp is about average for this time of year. Nothing unusual there.

The outlook kicks off Friday the 17th of July with some small, weak energy. It’s just not happening on Friday morning, with a tiny 0.9m swell from the WNW. The period is long at 17 seconds, good for shape, but the size just isn’t there. Combined energy is weak at 984. A cross wind doesn’t help. Friday afternoon sees a jump in size to 2.4m, but it’s short period wind swell at 7 seconds, and the wind is up to 25 km/h, cross-shore. That’s going to be a messy, choppy affair.

Saturday the 18th is a bit similar to start. Morning is small again, 0.9m, long period, but still weak energy (859) and cross winds. The afternoon picks up with 2.3m from the NW, period short at 7 seconds, but the wind swings to a cross-offshore breeze. It actually says clean. That’s the first real hint of something decent, but the short period keeps it from being a standout.

Sunday the 19th: morning has 1.8m from the NW with an 8-second period, cross wind, so it’s okay but not clean. The afternoon is better, 2.3m from the NW, 8 seconds, with a light cross-offshore breeze and clean conditions. That’s a good window for intermediate surfers.

Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st see the swell drop right off. Monday is all short period wind swell from the NW, around 2-1.7m, energy dropping into the 600s and 700s. Not great. But then Tuesday morning... that’s a gem. Early on the 21st of July, the swell is small at 0.7m but it’s from the SW with a long 16-second period. The wind is a glassy 5 km/h from the W. It’s clean, it’s glassy, and the combined energy is moderate at 437. This is the standout session for the whole run if you want small, clean, long-period waves. Tuesday afternoon stays clean with an offshore NNE breeze.

From Wednesday the 22nd, it turns ugly. The wind goes cross-onshore or onshore for days. The swell stays around 0.7-0.8m from the SW with decent periods, but the wind ruins it. Through the 23rd and 24th it’s the same story.

Then we start seeing some size building again. Saturday the 25th of July has a funky long-period 21-second swell from the SW at 1.1m, but wind is onshore. Sunday the 26th has 1.3m from the SSW with a 19-second period, but cross winds and chop.

The end of the month ramps up big. On the 29th of July, Wednesday afternoon, we get a 3.5m swell from the NW with a short 8-second period. That’s big and powerful, combined energy at 1817 (strong to very strong), but the short period means it’ll be a bit lumpy and wonky. Clean wind though, cross-offshore. That’s expert territory - over 2.5m is only for good surfers. Thursday the 30th is similar, 3.0m in the afternoon. By Friday the 31st, it hits 4.0m from the NNW, 40 km/h winds. That’s massive, raw, and unruly. It’s heading into the first of August with solid 2.5m on Saturday morning.

So, for the best of it: the standout is that glassy Tuesday morning on the 21st of July. It’s not big, but it’s clean, long-period, and the only really perfect window. The other call is the Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th period for afternoon sessions when the wind cleans up. Everything else is either small and wind-affected or big, short period and messy. If it’s big and short period, this beach and reef spot will be more of a kite session than a paddle session.

Rusty.

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