Rockpile Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cooking for Rockpile over the next couple of weeks. It’s going to be a bit of a slow burner, but there is a proper window of hope if you’re patient.

This forecast starts with a long stretch of small, messy, or marginal conditions. From Thursday the 20th right through to the end of the month, we’re looking at tiny swells, predominantly in the 1ft to 3ft range, and mostly plagued by cross-onshore winds. The water temp is sitting at 70° with a 2° anomaly, so it’s a touch warmer than average for the time of year—nice for a long session when it eventually comes together, but not much help right now. The combined swell energy is weak to moderate, often under 500 (253 to 541), which tells you there’s just not enough grunt. The spot is a reef, which needs a clean push, and we're not getting it. Honestly, nothing really clicks until the last few days of August. The period is a bit of a write-off for any decent paddle surfing.

Now, things start to look a little more interesting in the first few days of September. The morning of Tuesday the 1st has a 4ft swell, but the period drops to a pathetic 8 seconds, and the wind is a strong cross-onshore. That’s weak, choppy junk–more kite-surfing territory than anything else.

But hold onto your board, because the real standout shows up on Thursday the 3rd of September in the afternoon. We get a 2ft groundswell from the SW with a very long period of 20 seconds. Combined energy is a solid 635 (moderate). What makes this special is the wind: a light cross-offshore from the NNW, which will glass off the take-off zone. That’s a recipe for clean, lined-up reef waves, even if the face is modest. This is a proper rare treat for a consistent reef like Rockpile.

Then, if you can hold out, Friday the 4th of September morning is the absolute best on offer. The swell bumps up to 4ft from the SSW, with a period of 17 seconds, combined energy of 984 (strong). But the kicker is a glassy, slight air wind from the WSW. That’s flat calm, mirror-like conditions. This is a premium window for a solo session at this beginner-friendly reef. Expect long lines, good shape, and super manageable size. Crowds are “often” here, but with this quality, you’ll have company.

Later Friday afternoon on the 4th, the wind swings around to a cross-onshore and the energy jumps to 1117 (very strong), but that ruins the surface. The morning is the golden ticket.

So, to sum it up: a long, frustrating gap of flatness and chop until the 3rd and 4th of September. Thursday afternoon the 3rd is a great, clean long-period option. Friday morning the 4th is the standout—clear skies, glassy conditions, and a solid 4ft SSW groundswell. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. The rest is a waiting game.

Rusty.

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