Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Rockpiles has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you—the first few days are looking pretty grim. We’ve got a bit of swell on the 14th, but it’s weak and the conditions are just off. The water temp is sitting at a normal 79°F for this time of year, so that’s fine, but the wind is a moderate cross-offshore at 16 mph, and the combined energy is only 274 (weak). It’s just not worth paddling out for.

The whole rest of this week and into the next is a real write-off. From Wednesday the 15th through to Sunday the 20th, the scores are all zeros or ones. The swell is tiny, the wind is fresh and cross-off, and the energy readings are all over the place. The morning of the 19th has a bump of 5ft from the ENE with a short period of 8 seconds and energy of 459 (moderate), but the wind is a solid 19 mph cross-off, making it a messy, blown-out mess. The beach setup here is looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing if you ask me.

We start to see a glimmer of hope on Monday the 20th. The energy jumps up to 552 (moderate) with a 3ft swell from the S, a long period of 16 seconds, and a cleaner cross-off wind. But the surf quality is still only marginal, and the score is a 1. It’s a hint of what’s to come, but not a day to get excited about.

From Tuesday the 21st through to Thursday the 24th, it’s a similar story. The groundswell from the S and SSW is building, with periods getting longer—up to 24 seconds on the 22nd. The energy is solidly in the moderate range (538 to 835), but the wind is a persistent fresh cross-off at 19-22 mph, and the surf quality is still only marginal. It’s frustrating, because the swell is there, but the wind is just ruining it.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th. The 25th sees a 7ft ENE swell at a short period of 7 seconds, with energy hitting 916 (strong). That’s a powerful, chunky wave, but that short period means it’s going to be a fat, dumpy closeout at the beach. The wind is still a moderate to fresh cross-off, so it’ll be clean but ugly. This one is for experts only.

The standout, and I mean the *real* standout, is Sunday the 26th of July. The morning brings a 3ft swell from the SSW with a long period of 18 seconds, and the energy is a massive 1156 (strong). The wind is a fresh cross-off at 19 mph, but it’s clean. The long period is a groundswell, and while it can make a beach break like this one a bit straight, the sheer power and consistent energy will definitely shape up some nice lines. It’s an advanced-reef break here, so it’s not for beginners, but for those who know what they’re doing, this is the best on offer in the whole 16-day window. It’s a bit of a wait, but it’s worth it.

The last few days, from the 27th to the 29th, are back to marginal conditions with the energy dropping off and the swell period shortening back up. It fizzles out.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a total write-off. The second week offers a few days of promise, but the wind is a constant enemy. The clear winner is the morning of Sunday the 26th of July with that strong, long-period groundswell from the SSW. It’s the one to circle on your calendar.

Rusty.

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