Rolling Stones Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s talk about Rolling Stones. This is a reef break that’s for advanced surfers only, and it’s fairly consistent – so when it’s on, it’s worth the paddle.

Looking at the whole 16-day window, there’s a bit of a slow start, then a solid window mid-week, and then a whole lot of nothing in the second week. The first recommendation doesn’t kick in until Saturday morning, July 4th, so the start is a bit flat.

July 4th (Saturday morning): We’ve got clean, clear conditions with a light offshore NNW breeze at 6 mph. The swell is 5 ft from the east, with a 12-second period – that’s a nice, long groundswell for this setup. Combined wave energy is moderate at 608. The water is sitting at 55°, which is a full 3° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good thick wetsuit. The break is fairly exposed to the swell, and the direction matches the optimum south swell? No – the optimum is south, and this is east, but the quality is still solid. It’s a decent option, but not the standout.

July 5th (Sunday): Wind picks up and the swell drops off. Sunday morning is cross-off with 15 mph and a weak 4 ft east swell – not worth it. Afternoon is a little better with lighter wind and 3 ft, but it’s ordinary.

July 6th (Monday): Tiny. Forget it.

July 7th (Tuesday) – The Standout: This is the true highlight of the entire period. Tuesday morning has a light NNE breeze at 3 mph, cross-off, and 6 ft of east swell with a 10-second period. Combined energy is strong at 766. Then Tuesday afternoon gets glassy – dead calm from the east at 3 mph – with the same 6 ft east swell. The waves are clean, the conditions are near-perfect for this reef. Crowds can show up sometimes, but with this quality, expect a few others in the water. This is the day to clear your schedule.

July 8th (Wednesday): A step down. The swell bumps up to 7 ft from the ESE with an 11-second period, and the energy is strong (1030). But the wind is cross-shore, not clean, and the conditions are marginal. Still surfable for the experienced.

July 9th – 14th: A downhill slide. From Thursday the 9th through to Tuesday the 14th, the wind goes onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell gets messy. There’s a big pulse of 13 ft south swell on the 11th and 12th, but with strong winds and a cross-onshore state (18–25 mph), this is more of a kite-surfing setup than paddle surfing. The energy is massive (over 3800), but it’s blown out and lumpy. By the 13th and 14th, it drops to 5–7 ft, but the wind is still cross-onshore.

July 15th (Wednesday morning): A brief glimmer. Light offshore north wind at 3 mph, 4 ft south swell with a very long 14-second period. Combined energy is moderate at 639. This is clean but a little inconsistent due to the long period – that groundswell might break straight on the reef, so points and reefs are your friend here. It’s a promising but less certain long-range option.

July 16th (Thursday morning): Another decent call. Light cross-off NNE breeze at 6 mph, 4 ft south swell with a very long 15-second period. Energy is moderate at 839. Clean surf, but again, that long period might make it a bit fat on the reef.

July 17th – 19th: The end of the line. Swell drops to 1.0–2 ft, wind picks up or goes glassy (no swell). Nothing to get excited about. There’s a long gap of no decent surf from the 18th onward.

So, the winner is Tuesday, July 7th – especially the glassy afternoon session. Early morning on July 7th is also solid. If you’re looking further out, the 15th and 16th mornings offer clean but smaller, longer-period waves.

Keep it between the flags, and don’t be late for that Tuesday glass-off.

Rusty

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