Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's take a look at what Rockpiles has in store for us over the coming weeks.

Right now, there’s a bit of a wait for the good stuff. We’ve got a long stretch of blustering cross-offshore winds and a short-period, wind-affected swell that just doesn’t want to clean up. The early part of the forecast through the first week is largely a write-off. The surf is there, but the quality is poor, with scores hitting the floor. You're looking at a lot of reports saying “poor surf conditions” or “marginal” through until the end of the first week of September. This ain't worth paddling out for.

Now, the real standout comes on the 5th of September (Saturday). The combined swell energy jumps way up to 2458 – that’s strong energy – and we finally get a longer period of 13-seconds pushing in from the ENE. The swell holds at a solid 8 ft, which is pushing into the big range, so this is more for the experienced crew. The wind is still cross-off from the ENE but backing off to a moderate breeze (16 mph). This is the best of the first batch. It’s still not perfect, but it’s a big step up and the wave comment for that Saturday morning is a ‘marginal surf forecast’.

The Big Ticket, Late in the Game

The true highlight of this entire outlook is Monday the 7th of September. We get a very notable setup. The swell remains a chunky 8 ft to 8 ft from the ENE, still with a long 12-second interval. But the magic happens with the wind. The morning shifts from a moderate cross-off to a glass-off in the afternoon. The wind swings to the north and drops to a mere 3 mph—that's effectively offshore and glassy. The wave comment for that Monday afternoon is “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” The energy is still high at 1970, so it’s powerful. Because this is a reef break, that long-period energy will line up and hold its shape really well. For anyone who can handle it, this is the session to target. Just know that it does get crowded here sometimes.

After that peak, the swell tapers off. We get a small run of SSW groundswell around the 8th and 9th of September, but the wind turns onshore, making it messy. The 8th of September sees an onshore S wind ruining the 3 ft to 4 ft of SSW groundswell. Energy drops right back down to the 500-700 range. Not worth the paddle.

Into the second week, from about the 10th of September onward, it gets real quiet. The swell drops below 3 ft, periods get short again, and the combined energy sinks to weak levels. A brief flicker on the 13th of September (Sunday) afternoon shows a clean 2 ft groundswell from the SSW with a 15-second period and light wind. It’s small, but it’s the only real clean option in that second week. The energy there is only 242, so it's soft, but it might give a longboarder a few clean crumbly ones if the tide's right.

So, bottom line: the first week is a bust until the 5th and 7th of September. The 7th of September Monday afternoon is the clear standout, though it's for advanced surfers only due to the size and power. The second week is mostly flat with a tiny, clean window on the 13th of September. Rockpiles can be fickle; this is a typical pattern for the area where you have to wait for the right combo.

Rusty.

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