Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Rockpiles.

Right off the bat, the water temp is sitting at about 81°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. But the surf situation? Honestly, it’s a bit of a slow burn to start. There’s no real action for the first few days. The swell is coming in but it’s small, around 3 ft to 4 ft, with some decent period from the SSE (16-17 seconds), which would normally be a nice groundswell. But the direction is cross-offshore (ENE wind), and while it looks clean on paper, the forecast is calling it marginal or poor. The combined energy is moderate - in the 500 to 900 range - but it’s just not lining up right.

From Thursday 29th August through to mid-week in September, we get a shift. The swell picks up to 6 ft to 7 ft, but it swings around to a short-period ENE windswell, only 7-8 seconds. That’s choppy, messy, and the wind stays a stiff cross-off. The energy climbs into the 600 to 900 range, but it’s not quality surf - the scores are a zero or a one. This stretch is more for the kite crowd than paddle surfers, honestly.

Now, here’s where I get a little more interested. Starting Saturday 5th September, the swell sticks around 6 ft to 6 ft, but the period stretches to 11 seconds. That’s a real groundswell, and you can feel it in the energy numbers jumping up over 1000, hitting 1159 in the morning and 1045 in the afternoon. The wind is still cross-off from the ENE, so it’s clean. The score creeps up to a 2, which isn’t a home run, but for this stretch, it’s the best on offer. This is a long-period swell, so at a reef like Rockpiles, it should line up nicely with good shape. It’s still a bit sizey at 6 ft to 6 ft, so not a beginner wave - but solid for intermediate to advanced surfers.

The standout? Without a doubt, that Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th September window. The swell direction (ENE) isn’t the perfect SSE the break prefers, but the length, consistency, and clean conditions make it the pick.

Monday 7th September sees the swell push over 7 ft to 7 ft, with energy spiking to 1532. That’s strong, but the wind picks up to 25 mph and stays strong for the rest of the outlook - strong breeze or near gale. That’s expert territory and blown out. By Friday 11th September, the wind goes onshore and the swell drops to 2 ft - a total write-off.

So, bottom line: the first week is a wash. The second week has a few days worth getting out for, especially that Saturday to Monday run. Crowds are “sometimes” a thing here, so you might have a bit of company, but it won’t be chaos. If you’re patient, there’s a decent window.

Rusty

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