Rockpile Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the coming weeks.

We’re looking at a pretty long stretch of not a whole lot, to be honest. The surf is small and so-so for most of the first two weeks, but there is a flicker of something bigger right at the tail end of the forecast. The main break in the mix is Rockpile (reef), a consistent spot that’s exposed to the SSW swell. The water is running at 73°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a solid 5°F above the long-term average, so you can leave the thick rubber at home.

The first proper surf shows up on Tuesday, August 25th, with a 3 ft SSW swell pushing in. The period is 13 seconds, which is a nice groundswell, and the energy is moderate (505). But the wind is cross-onshore from the west at 6 mph, and it’s a light breeze, so it’s not all bad – just a little bumpy. It’s a marginal call, though.

Wednesday morning, August 26th, the swell kicks up a bit to 4 ft from the SSW, period 12 seconds, and the wind is onshore at 9 mph. It’s a bit messy again. The energy is moderate (718), but the conditions are still marginal. Wednesday afternoon drops to 4 ft from the south, with a lighter WSW wind at 6 mph, onshore again. The same story.

Thursday, August 27th, is smaller – 3 ft in the morning, 2 ft in the afternoon – with light onshore breezes. The swell shifts to the SW in the afternoon with a longer period of 14 seconds, but the energy is weak (356). The whole week limps along like this: small, cross-onshore winds, and wave energy hovering in the 300–700 range, which is moderate at best. Nothing is getting clean. The crowds are likely here, but honestly, the quality isn’t there to draw them.

We hit a poor stretch from August 31st through September 8th, with wave heights mostly under 3 ft, and often cross-onshore or gusty winds. The period drops below 12 seconds for a few days, which makes for weak, wind-affected surf. The wind is often from the W or WNW, 6–12 mph, keeping things choppy. Several sessions score a zero or a one, and it’s not worth paddling out.

Now, the real standout comes in the second week, but it’s a long way off. On Wednesday, September 9th, the morning shows a 4 ft south swell with a 16-second period, and the energy jumps to strong (1364). The wind is cross-shore from the NW at 9 mph, which is a gentle breeze – not perfect, but workable. The real eye-popper is the afternoon: 7 ft from the SSW, period 17 seconds, and energy hitting very strong (2214). That’s a big, long-period groundswell. The wind stays cross-shore from the WNW at 9 mph. Now, this is expert territory at over 8 ft, but it’s just under that, so a strong intermediate could handle it. The caveat with a 17-second period is that it’ll be a very lined-up, powerful swell – it’s best for a reef like Rockpile, but it can break straight at a beach break. Since this is a reef, it’s actually a good match. The SSW direction is also bang on the optimum for this spot. Compared to the rest of the 16-day window, this is the only session with real grunt and decent form. It’s a distant call, so keep an eye on it, but it’s the one to circle.

Don’t expect much before that. The blank run from the end of August through early September is a long stretch of poor to marginal surf. It’s one of those runs where the forecast can change, but right now, it’s a waiting game. For the rest of the time, with the swell small and the wind onshore, it’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddling one.

Rusty.

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