Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s have a look at the 16-day run for Rockpiles. It’s a reef break, fairly consistent, and it likes a good SSE swell. But honestly, the whole window is a bit of a battle, so let’s break it down.

The first week is a bit of a grind. We’ve got size on offer right from the get-go on August 1st, with a solid 10ft swell from the east, but that’s coming with a stiff 28 mph cross-off wind. The combined energy is strong (1501), but the wind is just too messy for truly clean, lined-up waves. The period is short at 8 seconds, so it’s all a bit bumpy and choppy. That’s a theme for the first few days: size, but wind is the enemy. The water temp is 81°, which is about average for this time of year—no surprises there.

There is a slight bright spot on Tuesday, August 4th. The swell drops to a more manageable 5–5ft, still from the ENE, but the period stretches out to 11 seconds. That’s a nice groundswell, and with lighter 9–12 mph cross-off breezes that morning, it’ll be the cleanest we’ve seen so far. It’s not going to be pumping, but it’s the pick of the first week—the sort of day where you can actually enjoy a few turns without getting blown off your board. The combined energy is moderate (around 567-637).

After that, the week goes downhill. From about the 6th of August onward, swell drops away, and we get a messy mix of tiny, short-period waves and some SSW pulses that just don’t match the optimum direction for the break. The period on those SSW pulses is long, around 14-17 seconds, but the swell height is too small (1ft to 3ft) to make anything of it, and the wind stays strong and cross-off.

We hit a real quiet patch from the 6th to the 11th of August. There are a few days in there where the swell gets so small and the conditions so poor that it’s not really worth paddling out. Think of it as a lull where you’d be better off waxing your board or checking the tides.

The second week offers a glimmer of hope. Around Wednesday, August 12th, a new S swell arrives. Period jumps to 17 seconds, which is very long-period groundswell—lots of energy and push. Rockpiles is a reef, so that long period can wrap in nicely. The combined energy reads 927 to 1089, which is moderate to strong. The wind is still cross-off from the ENE at 19-22 mph, but it’s cleaner. The swell size is 3-4ft, so it’s not massive, but it’s more lined up than anything else. That’s the best window of the whole outlook. However, it’s a long-range call—promising, but not certain yet. Keep an eye on that one.

Later on, August 15th sees a bump in size again (up to 10ft from the ENE), but the period is short (8 seconds) and the wind is back to a strong 25-28 mph. That kind of setup at a reef can turn into a blown-out washing machine, only for experienced heads.

So, the absolute standout? Tuesday, August 4th. It’s the only day in the first week where the wind drops back enough to let the 2-1.6m, 11-second ENE groundswell breathe. It’s not huge, but it’s clean, and that’s worth more than a messy 10ft day.

Second best is Wednesday, August 12th. That long-period S swell (17 seconds) hitting the reef combined with manageable size is the real promise of the second week. If the wind plays ball, that’ll be the one to circle on the calendar. It’s for intermediate to advanced crew, but it could be great.

Overall, this is a spotty run. First few days have size but are wind-affected, then a flat spell, then a promising but distant window. If you can, aim for that Tuesday. Otherwise, keep your hopes for the second week and hope the long-range forecast holds.

Rusty.

Read more