Rock Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Rock Island. This is a reef set-up, exposed to the south swell, and it’s pretty consistent for a beginner-friendly spot. The water temp is sitting at 74°, which is pretty much average for this time of year.

We’ve got a rough start. The first few days – Saturday the 4th through Sunday the 5th – there’s basically nothing doing. Swell is tiny, under 0.7ft, and the wind is all kinds of wrong, mostly cross or cross-onshore. The water looks messy, just small wind ripples. Not worth paddling out.

Things start to turn on Monday the 6th. An early window opens with a 4ft swell from the SE, period a short 7 seconds, but the wind is light and cross-offshore. The combined energy is weak at 261, but it’s clean. That’s a decent look for a learner, but it’s a short-lived window. By the afternoon, the swell drops off.

Now, Tuesday the 7th is when it starts to get interesting. The wind swings NNE and goes offshore at 16 mph. The swell is 3ft from the SSE, but the period jumps to 17 seconds – that’s proper groundswell, a long wait between sets but the waves will have push. The energy is moderate at 394. That morning will be clean, glassy, and fun for the better surfers.

The standout is Wednesday the 8th. Early morning, the wind is offshore from the NE at 9 mph, and the swell hits 6ft from the SSE with a 17-second period. The energy is strong at 3796. That’s excellent surf for experienced surfers – big, clean lines, and the reef will handle that long period nicely. You’ll want some experience under your belt. The afternoon goes onshore and gets sloppy, so make the dawn patrol.

Thursday the 9th and Friday the 10th continue that pattern. Thursday morning has 6ft at 15 seconds, clean with cross-offshore breeze. Friday morning gets even better: 7ft from the S, period 17 seconds, and light offshore wind again. Energy is pumping at 2696. That’s big – expert territory at that size and period. Afternoons both days get ruined by southerly winds.

From Saturday the 11th onward, it’s pretty much a write-off. The wind turns onshore and the swell slowly fades from 7ft down to nothing over the next several days. After the 11th, there’s a big gap of over a week with nothing recommended. The energy drops into the double digits, and it’s onshore the whole way. By the 17th and 18th, the swell is under 3ft with fresh onshore winds blowing hard. Not worth it.

So, the clear standouts are Wednesday the 8th morning and Friday the 10th morning. Both have strong, long-period groundswell, clean conditions, and offshore winds. Rock Island will be a proper reef wave then – best for experienced surfers ready for a combo of size, power, and long lulls. Crowds are sometimes an issue, so you might not be alone, but with that quality, it’s worth it.

Rusty.

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