Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut through the data and talk about the waves coming up for Rockpiles. This is a reef setup, and it’s fairly consistent, but it’s not going to be a week for the faint of heart.

The water’s sitting at about 80.2°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The outlook kicks off on Friday, July 31, and honestly, it’s a tough start. We’ve got a solid 6.6ft swell from the east, but the wind is a stiff 25 mph cross-off, and the energy is ripping at 918 (moderate). The wave period is a short 7 seconds, so it’s a bit of a messy, wind-affected affair. The surf is too big for beginners at 5ft+, but it’s also not clean enough to be great. The morning is a write-off, and the afternoon is only marginally better. Not the day to paddle out.

Saturday, August 1, is worse. The swell jumps to 9.8ft from the east, wind is 28 mph, and the energy is a massive 1311 (strong). That’s expert territory only, and the period is still short at 8 seconds. The wind is a cross-off breeze, so the waves are going to be blown out. Sunday, August 2, is similar, with 7.9ft swell and 25 mph wind. The pattern holds through Monday, August 3, with 5.6ft swell and the wind easing slightly, but it’s still rough.

Now, Tuesday, August 4, is a glimmer. The swell drops to 5.2ft from the ENE, the wind is down to 12 mph, and the period stretches to 11 seconds. That’s a longer period groundswell, which means better shaped waves with more energy. The combined energy is 654 (moderate). The wind is still cross-off, so it won’t be glassy, but the conditions are marginal rather than terrible. This is the best of a bad bunch for the first week. It’s still not a standout, but if you’re desperate, Tuesday morning is your shot.

From Wednesday, August 5, onwards, things get smaller. The swell drops to 3.9ft, and the period goes back to 9 seconds. The wind stays moderate, and the energy fades off. The 6th of August sees a tiny 1.3ft swell from the SSW with a 14-second period, but the energy is a weak 152. The wind is still 19 mph. It’s just not doing anything.

We hit a real gap here. From Thursday, August 6, through to Monday, August 10, the surf is either poor or marginal. The energy stays low, and the wind is a problem. The 9th of August has a 5.9ft swell in the morning, but the wind is still 16 mph, and the period is a short 7 seconds. The afternoon flips to a 2.3ft SSW swell at 18 seconds, but again, the wind is 19 mph. The long period means it’s better for the reef break, but it’s not a session to write home about.

The real standout, and the only true highlight I’d call, is Wednesday, August 12. The swell is a modest 3.3ft from the south, but the period is a very long 17 seconds. The energy is 888 (moderate), and the wind is a light 16 mph cross-off. This is a classic groundswell, and it’s going to wrap into the reef with some real power. The wave shape will be excellent, with long, clean lines. The wind is moderate, but it’s a cross-off, so the face should be clean. This is the best on offer in the whole 16-day window. It’s a point break and reef setup, so that long period will work in its favour.

Thursday, August 13, is also promising. The swell is 3.6ft from the south, still a 16-second period, and the wind is a light 6 mph cross-shore. The morning has a bit of light cross-shore ripple, which is fine. The afternoon is cleaner with a 9 mph cross-off. The energy is 709 (moderate). This is a solid second option.

After that, the swell fades. Friday, August 14, drops to 3.0ft, and the wind picks up. Saturday, August 15, is a total write-off, with the wind hitting 22 mph again and the swell shifting to a short-period 8.2ft from the SW. That’s a messy, windy wall of water for experts only.

In short, the first week is a battle with the wind. The second week, particularly August 12 and 13, is where you want to be. The long-period south swell will deliver. Don’t bother before that unless you’re just desperate for a paddle.

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