Rockpile Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let's break down what's happening at Rockpile.

Honestly, it's a pretty grim stretch. The swell direction is good – that SW angle is what this reef likes – but the wind is almost always messing things up, and the waves are tiny. The water is 69°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year, so at least you won't freeze.

From Sunday the 5th, it's a bust. We've got a tiny 2ft SW swell with 18-second periods – that's proper long-period groundswell, but at this size it's just not doing anything, and the combined energy is only 354 (weak). A 12 mph cross-shore wind is making a mess of it. Not worth the paddle. Monday is more of the same, a bit more energy (489 and 617), but still choppy with a cross-on wind.

Tuesday the 7th is the first time things get to marginal. The swell hits 4ft from the SW, period still at 18 seconds, and energy climbs to 782 (moderate). But that west wind is still cross-on, so it's bumpy. It's a beginner-friendly size, but the crowd can be a problem here, and with this wind you're not getting the best of it.

Wednesday the 8th is the "best" of a bad bunch. Swell is a steady 3ft from the SW, period 16 seconds, energy at 879 (moderate). The wind turns onshore from the SW at a light 6 mph. We don't have a clear read on the surface, but it's the cleanest option out of all these days. It's marginal, but it's the one to look at. The size is fine for beginners, but that long period can be a bit tricky on a reef.

After that, it's a long, dry spell. From Thursday the 9th all the way to Monday the 20th, it's just poor or marginal calls. Swell stays between 1ft and 4ft, with periods dropping to as low as 8 seconds on the 16th – that's short-period junk. The wind is always onshore or cross-on, sometimes gusting to 12 mph and making it choppy. Energy levels are mostly in the weak to low-moderate range.

There is one glimmer on Saturday the 18th morning – we get a clean window with a light 9 mph cross-offshore breeze from the NNW. The swell is 2ft from the SW with a 17-second period and energy of 393 (weak). It's marginal, but it'll be glassy. That's the other one to keep an eye on, but don't expect any power.

So, the bottom line is tough. If you're keen, Wednesday the 8th morning is your best bet, or maybe that clean Saturday the 18th morning. Other than that, leave the board at home and wait for something better to come along. The water's warm, but the waves are not.

Rusty.

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