Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s switch to feet and Fahrenheit for the imperial crew.

So, the next week or so is looking pretty average. We’ve got a persistent ENE breeze blowing cross-offshore, keeping the surface clean, but the swell is messy and short-period. Most of the time we’re looking at weak, choppy waves in the 5ft to 6ft range, with a period of just 7 seconds – that’s windswell, not groundswell. The combined energy is moderate, sitting around 562 to 698, but it’s just not organised. The water temp is warm at 81°F, which is about average for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a wetsuit.

The first real standout in the whole forecast doesn’t pop up until Wednesday, September 2nd. That afternoon, the ENE wind drops to a gentle 9 mph, still cross-off, and we finally get a proper S-SW groundswell. The swell is small at 3ft, but the period jumps to 16 seconds – that’s proper long-period energy. The combined energy is moderate (584), but the quality is what counts. The forecast says “expect very good surf conditions,” and with light winds, it’s going to be glassy and clean. This is the pick of the early window.

From there, we get a bit of a mixed bag. Thursday, September 3rd, sees a light SE breeze swing cross-on, which will put a few ripples on the face, but the swell is still small and long-period (4ft at 13 seconds). Not the best, but manageable. Then Friday the 4th through Sunday the 6th, the ENE wind picks back up to 15-18 mph, and the swell direction swings back to ENE with a short period (7-9 seconds). That’s a downgrade – just mediocre, messy surf.

The next real highlight comes on Saturday, September 5th, but it’s the afternoon of Sunday the 6th that gets my blood pumping. By Sunday morning, we’ve got a 6ft ENE swell with a period of 12 seconds, and the energy jumps to 1621 – that’s strong. The wind is cross-off at 12 mph, keeping it clean. That afternoon, the swell holds at 6ft with an 11-second period, energy at 1358. This is the best-looking run of the whole forecast. The ENE direction is a bit off the optimum for Rockpiles, which prefers SSE, but with that much energy and clean conditions, it’s going to be punchy and fun. Just be aware – at 6ft to 6ft, it’s getting into intermediate territory, and if you’re a beginner, it might be a bit much.

Monday, September 7th, is another solid day – a light ESE cross-shore breeze, 5ft ENE swell, 11-second period, and energy over 1000 (1006). Clean, cross-shore, with some good lines. And Tuesday the 8th, another 5ft, 12-second groundswell with the same cross-off wind. The run from September 6th to the 8th is the clear winner – three days of proper, clean surf.

The very end of the forecast, September 9th, shows a 7ft ENE swell, but the wind is cross-shore at 15 mph, which will put a chop on the face. That’s a bit big and messy for most, but if you’re an expert, you might find some barrels in the morning before the wind picks up. Afternoon is cleaner with the cross-off, but still 7ft – that’s expert territory.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is mostly a write-off. Wednesday, September 2nd afternoon is your first good session, but the real gem is the weekend of September 6th and 7th. That’s where the energy, period, and wind all line up. Get on it if you can.

Rusty.

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