Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Rockpiles.

Honestly, things are looking pretty quiet for a while. There’s a bit of swell in the water starting Monday afternoon (August 10th), but it’s a small, long-period SSW groundswell pushing only 2ft. The water temp is sitting at a warm 81°, which is about normal for this time of year. The combined energy is weak at 423, and while the wind is a clean cross-offshore, the conditions are just too small to get excited about. It’s a poor surf day.

Tuesday (August 11th) and Wednesday (August 12th) are similar – marginal at best. A bit of E windswell mixing in, but the periods are short on that, and the bigger period S swell stays small. The cross-off wind keeps the surface clean, but the wave heights hover under 4ft. Not worth rushing out.

Thursday (August 13th) is more of the same: 3ft to 4ft S swell with a moderate period, combined energy creeping up into the moderate zone (847 to 954). Still, it’s a marginal call at best.

Friday (August 14th) gets a bit of a bump with a 6ft to 7ft ENE windswell, but the period is a short 7-8 seconds. That’s choppy, weak energy for a reef break. The wind is still cross-off, but this setup is more interesting for kite surfing than a good paddle session.

Now, Saturday (August 15th) is where things start to get a bit bigger, but it’s a warning sign. We’re looking at 10ft to 12ft ENE swell with periods up to 13 seconds. The combined energy is strong to very strong (2511 to 3981). This is expert-only territory – too big for beginners, and even for experienced surfers, the strong breeze cross-off wind will make it a handful. It’s a marginal forecast.

The real standout, but also a huge caveat, hits Sunday, August 16th. A massive 23ft ENE swell with a 13-second period rolls in, with combined energy roaring up to 18572 – that’s very, very strong. However, the wind switches onshore from the SSE at 37 mph, with a risk of thunderstorms. The guidance flat-out says the swell is too big for Rockpiles. This is not a surf day; this is a watch-from-the-cliff day. The afternoon drops to 20ft but stays cross-on and lumpy. Avoid.

After that storm pulse, Monday (August 17th) through the rest of the week is a rapid drop back to small, marginal conditions. A bit of 5ft to 6ft ENE windswell, but periods are short (7-9 seconds) and the wind goes light to moderate. Combined energy fades back to weak-to-moderate (464 to 859). Nothing really clicks.

The second week, from August 20th onward, is quiet. Mostly small S to SSW groundswells of 1.5ft to 2.5ft with long periods (16-20 seconds), but they’re simply not big enough to break properly at this reef. Combined energy stays in the weak-to-moderate range (232 to 526). The cross-off wind is consistent, but it’s a waiting game.

The only potential light at the end of the tunnel is Tuesday, August 25th, when a 3ft to 4ft S swell with a 16-second period shows up, combined energy hitting 858 to 1009. Still marginal, but with clean cross-off wind, it’s the most promising day in that second week. Don’t hold your breath though – it’s a promise, not a guarantee.

Overall, the first week has one warning-level big swell and otherwise small, marginal surf. The second week is a long flat spell with only a couple of tiny pulses. This stretch looks pretty bleak for paddle surfing. Kite surfers might get some action on the bigger windswell days, but for the rest of us, it’s time to find a different hobby for a while.

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