Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey crew, Rusty here. Let's break down what's on the menu for Rockpiles over the next couple of weeks. It's gonna be a bit of a mixed bag, so listen up.

Right now, we're dealing with a classic case of the "looks better than it is" scenario. There's a solid 6-foot ENE windswell rolling in with moderate energy (604), but the wind is just howling. A strong cross-offshore breeze from the ENE at 25 mph is tearing the tops off everything, making it choppy and hard to read. The water temp is a pleasant 81°, which is normal for this time of year, but the surf quality is poor. This pattern of strong cross-off wind and short, messy 7-second swell is going to stick around for the rest of August. We get a tease on the 26th (Wednesday) afternoon with a tiny 2-foot, very long-period south swell (18 seconds), but that same cross-off wind keeps it from being anything you'd want to paddle out into. Honestly, it’s a tough stretch.

Fast forward to the start of September, and things get interesting. The big standout is Wednesday morning, the 2nd. The wind finally eases to a light breeze out of the ENE at just 6 mph. It's still cross-off, but that light air will leave the surface glassy. We've got a clean 3-foot groundswell from the south with a 16-second period, and the energy bumps up to 820. For a reef like Rockpiles, that's a recipe for clean, long-lined waves. The afternoon of the 2nd is also worth a mention, as the swell swings back to a 6-foot ENE windswell with an 8-second period and even more energy (851), but the wind picks up to a gentle 9 mph. Still, that's a solid day of surf.

Then the wind machine turns back on. From the 3rd of September onward, it's back to strong cross-off breezes of 19-25 mph. The swell stays consistent in the 5 to 6-foot range from the ENE with a short period, and the energy gets strong, hitting 1058 on the afternoon of the 5th (Saturday). But with that wind, the setup is way more appealing for kiteboarding than paddle surfing. It's just going to be blown out.

So, if you're looking for a window, circle Wednesday, the 2nd of September on your calendar. That morning with the light wind and long-period south swell is the best chance for a clean session at Rockpiles. The rest of the period is mostly a fight against the wind.

Rusty, out.

Read more