Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, ol’ Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Rockpiles. It’s a reef setup, pretty exposed to the south swell, and it’s a fairly consistent spot – but it’s gonna take a little patience before we get the good stuff.

Right now, there’s a bit of swell running, but it’s really just a tease. Friday morning we’ve got a 3 ft south swell with a nice long 14-second period, and the energy is sitting at 504 (moderate). The wind is a cross-off from the ENE at 19 mph, so it’s clean, but the surf forecast is marginal – tide’s likely messing with it. That afternoon and into Saturday, the swell jumps up but the direction shifts to a short period ENE windswell, and the wind stays fresh and cross-off, so it’s just a messy, poor setup. Sunday through Tuesday keeps that same ENE windswell, around 5 ft to 6 ft, with periods of 6 to 8 seconds. The energy picks up a bit (up to 823), but the wind is still a fresh cross-off, and the quality is poor to marginal. This stretch is more for the kite crowd than paddle surfing – too much wind and chop for a clean wave on a reef.

Then we hit Wednesday the 2nd of September. The swell drops back to 3 ft, but it’s a long-period south groundswell with 16 seconds between waves. The energy is still strong at 829 (moderate), and the wind is a cross-off from the ENE at 19 mph. The water temp is about average for the time of year, no big anomaly. This is a glimmer, but still marginal. Thursday and Friday (3rd and 4th) stay in that 5 ft to 6 ft range, ENE windswell, with periods stretching to 8 or 9 seconds. The wind backs off a touch to a moderate breeze, and the scores are still low – just not quite there yet.

Now, here’s where it gets exciting. Sunday the 6th of September afternoon, a new SSW swell rolls in at 3 ft with a massive 17-second period. The energy is 784 (moderate), and the wind is a gentle cross-off from the ENE at 9 mph. This is the first proper “expect very good surf conditions” of the run. It’s clean, it’s long-period, and it’s a reef – that’s a beautiful combo. The next morning, Monday the 7th, is the real standout. We’ve got a 3 ft SSW groundswell at 16 seconds, and the energy jumps to 1013 (strong). The wind is virtually nothing – a slight air from the ENE at 3 mph – cross-off and glassy. Excellent conditions for experienced surfers. That afternoon, the swell shifts to a 6 ft ENE at 11 seconds, and the energy goes through the roof at 1510 (very strong). The wind is a light cross-off from the NE at 6 mph. Still clean, still excellent. This is the best on offer: Monday 7th September. The long period means longer lulls and better-shaped waves on the reef, but it’s only for the crew who know what they’re doing.

The rest of the second week has some flashes – Tuesday the 8th is marginal, Wednesday the 9th afternoon has a nice 5 ft ENE swell at 11 seconds with a light cross-off, and that’s a solid “expect very good” call. The 11th and 12th see another pulse of ENE swell around 8 ft, but the wind goes a little cross or cross-on, so it’s not as clean. Still, for the big-wave hunters, Saturday the 12th morning has a clean 6 ft ENE at 10 seconds with light cross-off wind – that’s a good one.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is mostly a write-off unless you’re on a kite. The real deal is Monday the 7th of September – that’s the day to circle. The SSW groundswell morning and the ENE pulse in the afternoon are both excellent. After that, Wednesday the 9th afternoon and Saturday the 12th morning are solid backups. Keep an eye on the wind, though – it’s a cross-off spot, so when it’s light, it’s magic.

Stay salty,
Rusty.

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