Rock Wave Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Rock Wave.

We’re looking at a pretty frustrating stretch to start. The first real chance to paddle out doesn’t come until the morning of Wednesday the 23rd of September. Before that, we have a solid two-week gap where the conditions are just not on our side. The wind is a constant problem, mostly cross or cross-onshore, and the wave quality is suffering because of it. There’s some energy in the water, but it’s messy.

Wednesday, September 9 kicks off with a small 5ft swell from the east, but it’s a weak, short period (9 seconds) and the wind is cross. The combined energy is only 384, so pretty weak. Forget it. That afternoon, it drops to 1ft. Not worth a look.

Thursday, September 10 is more of the same – tiny surf and poor conditions. The morning is a cross-on disaster with a 1.0ft swell. The afternoon sees a bit more energy (4ft from the east, 409 combined energy), but the wind is still cross and the surf is marked as poor.

Friday, September 11 through Tuesday, September 22 is a long, bleak run. The wind stays onshore or cross-onshore, and the surf is either too small or too messy. There’s a moment on Sunday, September 13 where we get a long-period 4ft groundswell from the SSW (16 seconds, 1386 combined energy), but the cross-onshore wind robs it of any shape. The same goes for the afternoon – a 7ft swell from the east with 1159 combined energy, but again, it’s messy. The Monday, September 21 brings a serious pulse of energy – a massive 10ft swell from the south with a very long period of 17 seconds and a combined energy of 5343. That’s a lot of power, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore, making it lumpy and dangerous. That’s expert-only territory, and even then, it’s not clean.

For a point break or reef, that long-period south swell could be interesting, but with the wind, it’s a gamble. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual to report.

The Standout
The only window that shines is Wednesday, September 23, morning. The wind finally goes light and cross-offshore from the NNW, with a slight air. The swell is 8ft from the east, and while the period is short (8 seconds), the combined energy is a solid 1853 (moderate). The conditions are described as clean. This is the one. It’s a proper reef break (Rock Wave is a reef), so it should handle that east swell. But at 8ft, this is really for experienced surfers only. Beginners, stay out of the water. Crowds are possible at this spot, so get there early.

Summary
We have a long, dry spell until the 23rd. After that, the morning of the 23rd is the best on offer, but it’s a big, clean swell for experts. The afternoon of the 23rd is still rideable at 8ft but the wind switches to a cross-shore, making it less ideal. The following day, Thursday, September 24, the swell drops right back to 3ft. So, really, it’s a one-morning window.

Hang in there, and keep an eye on the longer-range forecasts. The 23rd morning is your best bet.

- Rusty

Read more