Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get real about the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a long run of tricky conditions at Rockpiles, so don’t get your hopes up too high too early. The wind is going to be a persistent problem for most of the forecast, and the swell just doesn’t know what to do with itself.

The outlook kicks off on Friday, August 14th, with a solid 7 ft of swell out of the ENE, but it’s a short-period 8 second wind swell. The combined energy is moderate, sitting at (963), but that cross-off wind from the NE at 22 mph is going to wreck the surface. It’s clean in the sense of no chop, but the wind state is just too strong for truly good waves. This one is a miss for paddle surfing.

The swell builds through Saturday, August 15th and into Sunday, August 16th, hitting 12 ft with a bit more period (9-10 seconds). The energy gets strong, hitting (1793) and (2504), but the wind is near-gale force on Saturday and turning cross-shore on Sunday with a messy cross-chop. For the average surfer, this is a kite-surfing show, not a paddle session. At 12 ft, this is only for the experts anyway, and even then, the conditions are poor.

We get a little drop in size on Monday, August 17th, down to 6 ft, but the wind is still a stiff cross-off at 16-19 mph. The energy is moderate (712), but the quality is just marginal. The same story carries through Tuesday, August 18th, with a tiny 2 ft southern swell (13-second period). The energy is weak (419), and the wind is still too strong to make it fun.

Wednesday, August 19th and Thursday, August 20th are a bit of a tease. The swell is small (3 ft and 2 ft), but the wind drops to a moderate breeze (12 mph) and then a gentle breeze (9 mph). The southern swell on Thursday has a long 18-second period, which is a groundswell, but the size is tiny (2 ft). The energy is weak (301-360). It’s clean, but there’s barely a wave to ride.

The only real standout in this whole 16-day window is Saturday, August 22nd. In the afternoon, we get a tiny 2 ft swell from the SW with a 16-second period, but the wind is finally light and cross-off from the ENE at only 9 mph. The conditions are clean, and the energy is a weak (375). It’s not a bomb, but it’s the best we’re going to get. The wave state is listed as "expect good surf conditions," which is the highest quality we see here. For a reef break like Rockpiles, that long period SW groundswell could wrap in nicely, even if small. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

After that, the rest of the month into early September (27th-29th) sees the swell pick back up to 7 ft from the ENE, but the wind is a fresh to strong breeze again, keeping the surf marginal at best. The energy climbs back into the 700-1000 range, but the wind is relentless.

So, the honest truth? This is a tough forecast. The only real moment to be in the water is Saturday afternoon, August 22nd. It’s small, it’s clean, and it’s the best of a long, windy bunch. Don’t expect much else. Keep an eye on the long-range, but don’t book the day off work just yet.

Rusty.

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