Rockpiles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for Rockpiles over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next week or so is a bit of a mixed bag, and not in a good way. We’ve got some swell, sure, but the wind is a constant battle. For the first few days, from Wednesday the 12th through to Friday the 14th, we’re looking at a clean, long-period SSW groundswell running around 3ft to 4ft, period pushing 15 to 18 seconds. That’s proper energy, with moderate wave energy readings around 800 to 900 (892). The water temp is sitting at 81°F, which is about normal for this time of year. The problem? That cross-offshore wind from the ENE is blowing a fresh breeze (19 to 22 mph). It’s clean on the face, but it’s gonna be a battle to get out. The scores are low, and honestly, it’s more of a grind than a joy.

Then we hit a real rough patch. Friday afternoon through to Sunday the 16th, the swell jumps up – we’re talking 10ft to 12ft from the ENE, with a short, choppy period around 8 to 10 seconds. The combined energy readings are massive – 2195 to 2904, that’s strong to very strong energy. But the wind is howling out of the NE at 28 to 34 mph, with thunderstorms on the cards. This is massive, raw, and messy. For the average surfer, this is a no-go. It’s big, blown out, and dangerous. Only the absolute experts with a death wish and a tow-in rig should even think about it, and honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

After that storm blows through, Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th see the swell drop back to 5ft to 6ft, but the period is a sad 7 to 8 seconds. The wind is still a fresh cross-offshore breeze. It’s clean, but the wave quality is poor – weak, short-period windswell with no punch. The scores are a flat zero. A bit of a blank run, to be honest.

There’s a proper gap here. From Wednesday the 19th through to Saturday the 22nd, it’s the same story – small, short-period junk. The swell is tiny, 2ft to 5ft, with periods barely scraping 7 seconds, and the wind is still a moderate to fresh cross-offshore. The energy is weak (361 to 630). Not much to get excited about.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. From Sunday the 23rd of August onwards, we start to see a change. The swell direction swings back to the SSW, and the period jumps up to 14 to 16 seconds. The size is a bit small, 2ft to 4ft, but it’s a proper groundswell. The wave energy is moderate (524 to 868). The wind is still ENE, cross-offshore, but it’s a bit lighter, a moderate to fresh breeze. The scores are still low, but you can see the quality starting to creep back in.

The standout in this whole outlook? It’s got to be the tail end of the run. Look at the 25th of August, Tuesday afternoon, and the 27th of August, Thursday afternoon. We’re seeing a 4ft to 3ft SSW groundswell, period 16 seconds, with a clean cross-offshore wind. The swell direction is right in the sweet spot for Rockpiles – it’s an exposed reef that loves SSE to SSW. The water is warm, the wind is clean, and the wave energy is moderate (868 to 862). It’s not huge, but it’s quality. For a reef break like Rockpiles, that long-period groundswell is going to reel down the line, offering up some nice, clean faces. Keep in mind, this is a fairly consistent spot, but it can get a bit crowded sometimes. It’s an advanced wave, so the crew out there will know what they’re doing. The biggest caveat is that this is a week and a half away, so it’s promising but less certain.

So, to wrap it up – the first week is a write-off for decent surf. Wait for that second week, from the 23rd onwards, and point your board towards the 25th and 27th. That’s where the real potential is.

Rusty.

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