Rolling Stones Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mates, Rusty here. Let's have a yarn about what’s heading our way.

It’s a strange start with a bit of a lull, but the real action is a big pulse of south swell that hits in the second half of the coming week and again further out. There’s one standout session that has me buzzing, but you’ve got to be patient and pick your windows, especially with that wild Monday and Tuesday in between.

First up, we’ve got a little something to wet the line this Saturday morning at Rolling Stones. Only 3ft of south swell on a nice 12-second period, but it’s clean with a gentle cross-off breeze. It’s small, but it’ll be the best of a pretty quiet couple of days.

Now, Monday the 31st of August is a weird one. There’s a big jump in swell—8ft from the SSW—but the wind is a messy cross-on in the morning, making it a washout. The afternoon saves the day, though. The swell drops a bit to 7ft from the south, and the wind swings light cross-off. That session is a gem: clean conditions and a solid wave energy (1276) for a strong paddle. It’s a bit much for beginners, but good fun for the rest of us. Tuesday the 1st of September is a write-off with strong onshore winds and lumpy 10ft waves. Only experts should even think about it, and even then, it’s ugly.

The real standout, the one you’ve got to circle on your calendar, is Wednesday the 2nd of September. Both the morning and afternoon are incredible. The morning kicks off with 8ft of south swell, clean as a whistle under glassy offshore winds from the NNW. That is top-tier for experienced surfers, with a combined swell energy of 2130—strong and powerful stuff. The afternoon is even bigger, pushing 10ft from the south on a very long 16-second period (3794 energy). That’s heavy groundswell that will draw lines perfectly down this reef. It is a proper expert-only day due to the size and power. The long period will mean long lulls, but the sets will be memorable.

After that, Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of September drop off in size, staying in the 3ft to 6ft range with clean but moderate winds. A bit ordinary, but still surfable.

We then have a bit of a gap before the next big pulse on Sunday the 6th of September. That Sunday morning delivers a repeat of the big stuff: 8ft of south swell, 16-second period, and light offshore wind. It’s another day for the experienced crew (2633 energy). The afternoon is a touch smaller at 6ft but still clean and powerful. After that, the week fades to small, clean, and weak conditions, with just a couple of glimmers around Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th of September—4ft to 5ft of south swell with clean, glassy winds. Nothing huge, but a good time for a log.

Keep your eyes on that Wednesday the 2nd and the Sunday the 6th. Those are the days worth rearranging your schedule for. The rest is a mixed bag of waiting. Given that Rolling Stones is a fairly consistent reef and the forecasts can shift, don’t be too disheartened if the lulls feel long—it’ll fire again.

Rusty.

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