Rockpile Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Rockpile over the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 73°, which is a solid 5° warmer than what we’d normally expect this time of year – that’s a real treat, feels like a late summer gift.

Now, the surf outlook. We’ve got a decent run of swell on the way, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag with the wind. The best of the action is going to be from Sunday, the 6th of September, through Monday, the 7th. That’s where we see the most size and energy.

The standout period is Sunday morning, the 6th. We’re looking at a clean 6 ft swell from the SSW, with a 14-second period and a moderate cross-offshore breeze from the NNW. The wave energy is solid at (1197), and the conditions are described as clean. That’s the pick of the whole forecast for me. It’s got some punch to it, but it’s not too big for a confident beginner. Sunday afternoon holds up nicely too, with a slightly bigger 6 ft swell (1377), still clean with a cross-offshore breeze.

Monday, the 7th, is still a goer. You’ve got 6 ft swell from the SSW in the morning, but the wind swings more cross-shore, so it won’t be quite as glassy. Still, there’s plenty of energy in the water (1291 in the morning). The afternoon drops a touch to 6 ft (1157), but it’s a similar story.

After Monday, the size and energy start to fade. From Tuesday the 8th onwards, the swell drops below 5 ft, and the wind is mostly cross or cross-on, so the quality slips. We hit a real flat spell from about the 12th of September, with waves dropping to 2 ft or less and poor conditions. That stretch of small, weak surf lasts for several days.

There is a little flicker of hope late in the window. Around the 19th of September, we see a small 3 ft, long-period swell (19 seconds) from the SW, with an onshore wind. The wave energy is moderate (674), but the wind direction isn’t ideal. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but for now, I wouldn’t plan around it.

So, the call is simple: get out there Saturday and Sunday (the 5th and 6th are the best bet for a clean wave), and ride the Monday leftovers. After that, there’s a long stretch of quiet water. Rockpile is a consistent reef, so it does tend to bounce back, but for now, the second week is looking like a write-off for any decent waves.

Rusty.

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