Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Well, folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. Looking at the next couple of weeks, it’s a bit of a slow burn for us. We’ve got a stretch of pretty quiet, gutless surf to start, and honestly, the first week is going to test your patience. There’s a serious lull at the beginning, with nothing worth paddling out for until at least the 22nd. It’s a long gap of flat, or near-flat, conditions, so if you’re Jonesing, maybe wax up the log for a flat day paddle, but don’t expect any waves. The good news is that forecasts can change, and it doesn’t usually stay this poor for long.

Rockpiles is our only real spot on the map for this period. The water temp is sitting at 80°F, which is bang on average for this time of year, so it’s still got that summer warmth in it.

Now, for the first week, it’s pretty bleak. From the 10th right through to the 16th, we’re looking at tiny swell with periods all over the shop. That early ENE windswell is weak, and the long-period SW pulses are just ghosts. The energy readings tell the story, with values dropping from moderate (686) down to weak (109). Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th see a bump in size and energy – we get readings over 1000 (1029 and 1006) – with some 7ft ENE windswell, but the period is short and the wind is a strong cross-off at 40 km/h. That’s not a recipe for quality at a reef; it’s going to be lumpy and blown-out. Not worth the hassle in my book.

The real change comes around Thursday the 22nd. We finally start seeing some consistent ENE groundswell filling in. The morning of the 22nd has solid 6ft surf at 10 seconds, with the energy reading hitting 793. The wind is a more manageable moderate breeze from the ENE, which is cross-off for Rockpiles. That’s clean, lined-up surf.

Then the standout of the whole stretch, the one to circle on the calendar, is Wednesday the 23rd of September. The afternoon session looks like the pick of the bunch. We’re calling 5ft of E swell with a 10-second period, energy is pumping at 870, but the wind drops right out to a gentle breeze from the NE. That’s about as glassy as it gets for us. For a reef break like this, light winds and a solid, mid-period easterly swell is a beautiful thing. The direction is also right in the sweet spot for the break. This is the one. It's a standout, and while it's a week and a half away, it's definitely the one to plan for.

That window from the 22nd to the 23rd is your best bet. After that, it looks like it fades back into marginal, small SW groundswell with moderate to fresh cross-off winds again. It’s not going to be perfect, but it’s way more promising than the dead start. Go get some.

Rusty

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