Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Rockpiles.

Right off the bat, we've got a solid run of swell on the way, but it's not all good news. The first few days are a bit of a write-off thanks to a strong cross-off breeze. The water's sitting at a warm 81°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so that's a nice comfort while you're waiting.

From Wednesday the 4th through to the start of the second week, the swell is pumping, but the conditions are messy. The wind is a persistent cross-off from the ENE, which is usually a good thing for this reef, but the strength of it is just too much. You'll see solid 7ft+ swell from the ENE with a fairly long period, giving a lot of energy, but it's all a bit of a battle. The standout for this stretch is the Monday afternoon session on the 7th. The energy jumps up massively, with a solid 8ft ENE swell at 13 seconds, and the cross-off wind is only a moderate breeze. That's the best call in the first week, but it's still a bit of a gamble with the risk of thunderstorms.

The beginning of the second week, around the 8th and 9th, gets ugly. That swell jumps to 15ft from the SW, but with a near-gale cross-onshore wind, it's blown out and dangerous. That's a day for the experts only, if anyone, and honestly, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Now, the real magic window appears from the 12th of September onwards. The swell drops back to a more manageable 5ft to 5ft from the ENE, but look at that wind. The Saturday afternoon session on the 12th is a gem: only a 3 mph cross-off breeze, making for clean waves. The best of the bunch, though, is the Sunday afternoon on the 13th. The wind goes glassy, absolutely dead calm, with a 5ft ENE swell. That's as clean as it gets. The Monday afternoon on the 14th is also a standout with a glassy sea, but the swell is a tiny 2ft from the SW, albeit with a very long 24-second period, which will be like a slow rolling dream at this reef. For the true standout, I'm calling the Sunday 13th afternoon session. The most consistent swell size combined with perfect, glassy conditions. Just be aware that this is a reef break that can get a bit crowded sometimes, so get there early.

As we head into the final days of the forecast, the swell drops right off, and the wind picks up again. It's a classic case of a promising start, a messy middle, and a beautiful, clean finish.

Rusty.

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