Rock Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let's have a look at what's in the water for the next couple of weeks, just for Rock Island. It’s a reef break, exposed to the south, and it's a beginner-friendly spot, so it's not going to handle a proper grunty swell too well. The water temp is sitting right around the 81° mark, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so you're not going to need the 5/4 just yet.

We’ve got a rough start, to be honest. This weekend and the first few days of next week are pretty grim. The swell is tiny, with a combined energy reading of just 41 in the water on Saturday morning, and the wind is either on it or just not cooperating. You'd be wasting your time. There's a bit of a gap here before anything gets going.

Now, Monday the 24th of August morning is where things get interesting. The surf is still small at 2ft, but it's from the SSE with a very long period of 19 seconds. That groundswell energy reads at a healthy 482, but the real kicker is the glassy conditions, dead calm wind. That's the kind of clean, silky surface you dream about. Makes paddling out a piece of cake with those long gaps between sets. However, that long period swell at a beach/reef setup like this can sometimes just roll in a bit straight, so don't expect perfection, but for the sheer calm beauty, it's a standout.

Then we go through a rough patch. Tuesday the 25th pushes up to 5ft to 6ft, but it's all onshore and messy. A combined energy of 1262 midweek means power is there, but the wind is ruining it. Wednesday is even worse with a strong breeze. The water's getting churned up.

The next real call is a week later, on Monday the 31st of August morning. The swell drops back to a tiny 3ft from the SSE, but it’s got a decent 11-second period and a gentle offshore wind from the NE. Combined energy is a modest 203, but the conditions are clean and the wind is off. It won't be big, but it'll be a nice, tidy little wave for the beginners to have a go on the reef.

Looking further out, into the first week of September, we've got one to circle on the calendar. Thursday the 3rd of September morning. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the SSE with an 11-second period – not too big, not too small. The combined energy is a solid 526, and crucially, we get a moderate offshore wind from the NE, cleaning it right up. For a beginner reef break, that's about as good as the forecast gets. It's the one true standout in this window for actual surfable, clean waves with some push. The crowds might show up, but on a morning like that, you won't mind sharing a few.

The following weekend (6th of September) also shows potential with 5ft and clean cross-off winds, but it's further out, so keep an eye on it but don't book the day off work just yet.

Overall, there's not heaps of size, but the clean, offshore windows to aim for are the morning of the 24th of August for a glassy, tiny session, and Thursday the 3rd of September for a proper fun-size wave in good wind.

Rusty.

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