Rhino Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Rhino Head.

First thing you need to know is that the water temp is around average for this time of year, so no need to dig out the thickest rubber just yet. The surf is going to be a bit of a slow burn for the first few days, but there’s a serious standout waiting for you if you’re patient.

We kick off on Saturday the 25th of July. It’s not really happening. The swell is a modest 4ft from the SW, but the wind is cross-off and the combined energy is weak (449). It’s marginal, and the score reflects that. Sunday the 26th is a little cleaner with offshore winds and a drop to 3ft, but it’s still nothing to write home about. The period is 11 seconds, which is short-period windswell, so the waves won’t have much push.

Monday the 27th gets a bit of a bump in swell height to 5ft, but the wind cranks up to 28 mph offshore. That’s strong enough to make paddling out a real chore, and the quality is poor. Tuesday the 28th sees a jump in the combined energy (3083) – that’s a strong pulse of energy from the SW. The swell hits 6ft with a 15-second period, which is proper groundswell. But the cross-off wind is fresh, and the conditions are still marginal. This is a lot of water moving, but it’s not clean.

Now, the first real standout is on Saturday the 1st of August. The morning has a 4ft SW groundswell with a very long 17-second period. The energy is solid (914). But the afternoon is where it’s at. The wind goes glassy, the swell is still 4ft from the SSW, and the period is 16 seconds. The energy jumps to 1680. This is the pick of the first week. It’s going to be glassy, clean, and the swell has that long-period power that Rhino Head, being a reef, will handle beautifully. The timing is right for a classic session.

Sunday the 2nd of August is another good one. The morning swell is 6ft from the SW with an 18-second period, but it’s a touch cross-on. The afternoon, however, is glassy again, with a 6ft SW swell and a 17-second period. The energy is very strong (1737). This is the second standout. If you can only get out one day, the 1st or 2nd of August are your best bets. Keep in mind that crowds are possible at Rhino Head, so get in early.

After that, the energy drops off. The first week of August sees the swell fade back to 3ft, and the wind gets messy. There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations. The 8th of August sees a glassy afternoon with a 3ft SSW swell, but it’s not the same power. The 9th of August has a very long 22-second period, but the swell is only 2ft and the wind is cross-on, so it’s not worth the paddle.

So, to sum it up: the first few days are forgettable. The real action is on the 1st and 2nd of August. Go for the glassy afternoon sessions. That’s where the magic is.

Rusty.

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