Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s break down the surf for Rockpiles in feet and knots.

Water temp is a comfortable 81°, which is perfectly normal for this time of year – no need for rubber.

Now, the first week is a bit of a slow burn. From Tuesday 18 August through Friday 21 August, we’ve got clean, small waves running 2ft. The combined energy is weak to moderate (417 to 358), and while the wind is cross-off or even glassy on Friday afternoon, the swell is too small to get real excited about. The south-west groundswell has a long period of 16–18 seconds, so it’ll be smooth and lined up, but you’ll be scratching for every ride. It’s longboard territory at best.

Then from Saturday 22 August to Monday 25 August, the wind kicks up hard from the ENE at 22–25 mph. That’s a fresh to strong breeze, and the swell jumps to 8ft, but it’s short-period windswell (7–8 seconds). The energy is strong (860 to 899), but the surf quality is poor – bumpy, lumpy, and more suited to a kite than a paddle board. The waves are too big for beginners and only for experienced guys if you’re keen.

Wednesday 26 August through Friday 28 August stays windy with ENE winds at 19–22 mph, holding the swell at 6ft to 6ft. The period is still short (6–7 seconds), and the energy is strong (640 to 882). Still marginal, still messy.

Here’s the real standout: Saturday 29 August afternoon. The wind drops to a gentle 9 mph from the ENE, the swell pushes to 8ft from the east-northeast, and the combined energy hits 962 – that’s strong, solid power. The period is still short at 8 seconds, but the conditions are clean and the forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is the best session of the whole run. The swell is 8ft, so it’s experts only – heavy, powerful, and charging.

Sunday 30 August ramps up even more. Morning swell is 8ft from the east, and by the afternoon it’s 10ft from the east-northeast, with energy of 1749 and 1886 – that’s extreme power. The wind is a moderate 12 mph from the ENE. This is big, heavy, and only for the most experienced. The crowd factor at Rockpiles is “sometimes,” so it might get busy, but with this size, the lineup will thin out.

The start of September sees the swell ease but still hold solid. Tuesday 1 September has 7ft from the east, with period easing to 8–9 seconds, and energy still very strong (1841 to 1131). Wednesday 2 September drops to 5ft, but the period lengthens to 10 seconds – a nice groundswell pulse. The energy is still strong (1169 to 1188) and the wind is a moderate 12–19 mph from the NE. A solid option for experienced surfers.

So, the first week is a slow grind. The real gold is the weekend of 29–30 August, with Saturday afternoon being the pick for expert-level waves in clean conditions. The swell is big, the energy is extreme, and if you’re up for it, that’s the one.

Rusty.

Read more