Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Howdy, it's Rusty. Let's talk about Rockpiles and what's brewing over the next couple of weeks. It's a real mixed forecast with a lot of windy days and less-than-ideal swell direction for this reef. Water temp is a balmy 80°F, which is pretty standard for the season.

We start off this Friday, July 24th, and honestly, it's not looking great. There's a 7ft swell from the ENE, but the period is a short 7 seconds, and we've got a stiff 25 mph cross-off wind. The wave energy’s moderate, but that wind is just going to trash it. The same windy theme carries through Saturday and Sunday. Swell drops a bit in height, but the wind doesn't let up. Saturday afternoon does bring in some long-period 18-second energy from the SSW, but it's only 3ft of it. That long period could make it line up well on the reef, but it's hard to get excited with the cross-off wind still howling.

Now, the one standout that has me waking up early is the morning of Wednesday, July 29th. We're looking at pure glass. The wind drops to a whisper at 3 mph from the west. We've got a clean 2ft swell from the south with a long 14-second period. The combined energy is weak, so it won't be pumping, but glassy, clean conditions on a reef with some period to it? That's the stuff. This is your morning to get a few good ones with nobody around.

After that window, it's back to business as usual. The ENE trades come roaring back on Thursday the 30th, and the swell builds, but the conditions get messy again. From August 1st through the 5th, we see a persistent 7ft to 8ft ENE swell with cross-off winds in the 18-25 mph range. That's some serious size on a reef, and with that wind, it's a heavy, challenging wave for the experts only. The energy is moderate to strong, but the quality is poor. There's a little pulse on the 2nd with a 4ft, 16-second swell, but, you guessed it, the wind is still cross-off. The outlook finishes the week with a risk of thunderstorms, a messy SE wind, and poor conditions rolling into August 8th. The long-range stuff on the 7th and 8th shows some long-period SW energy, but the stormy weather and wind keep the hope low.

Plain and simple: we've got one good, clean day on Wednesday the 29th for a small, glassy session. The rest of the period is mostly a wind-battle with short-period, choppy waves. When it's that onshore and blown out, this spot might be more fun for the kite guys than for a paddle surfer.

Keep your eyes on the forecast, and I'll see you out there.
Rusty

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