Rock Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Rock Island.

We’re in for a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks. There’s some real potential, especially for the experienced crew, but you’ll have to pick your moments and watch the wind. The water is sitting at 74°F, which is just about normal for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

The real standout of the whole period is going to be Wednesday, July 8. We’ve got a solid southerly groundswell pushing in with very long 17-second period and a strong amount of energy pushing through. The morning is looking clean with a light cross-offshore breeze, and waves around 5ft. That’s a proper reef break setup, and with that period, it’ll be lining up beautifully. But listen, this one is for experienced surfers only. Anything over 8ft would be expert territory, and 5ft on a long-period swell at a reef can pack a punch. The afternoon on Wednesday does get a bit lumpy with a cross-onshore wind and the swell pushing 6ft, so the early session is the one to chase. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, but on a Wednesday you might get a bit more room.

Before that, Tuesday, July 7, is worth a paddle too. The swell is a little smaller, around 2ft to 3ft, but that long 15-second period and proper offshore wind from the NNE in the morning will make for glassy, clean conditions. It’ll be a fun session for all levels. The afternoon cleans up even more with a light cross-off breeze.

Now, from Thursday, July 9, through to the end of the first week, things get tricky. The swell size jumps up to 6ft to 7ft, and even hits 7ft on Saturday morning, but the wind swings onshore and stays there. S out of the south, right on the nose most of the time, with speeds up to 19 mph. That’s going to chop things up and make it a real battle. The energy is still high, but with that wind, it’s not worth the effort for a paddle surfer.

There’s a long gap after that, from around Sunday, July 12, right through until Saturday, July 18. The swell drops right off, the onshore wind keeps blowing, and we get a string of poor surf days. It’s a proper lull.

Finally, there’s a little glimmer on Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19. We’re looking at tiny waves, just 1ft to 2ft, but Saturday morning and afternoon are glassy – dead calm wind, and that’s rare. It’s not going to be epic, just surfable little waves, but if you need a fix and the tide lines up, it’ll be clean. Sunday morning has a light offshore, but the swell is tiny.

So there you have it. The real standout is Wednesday the 8th, first light. Get on it if you can handle the reef. The rest of the window is mostly a write-off, but keep an eye on that glassy Saturday.

Rusty.

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