Rolling Stones Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right. G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Rolling Stones.

First up, no point sugar-coating it – the start of this run is a write-off. Through Friday and Saturday of the 10th and 11th, we’ve got a solid 13ft swell on Friday morning from the SSE at 10 seconds, but the wind is howling southerly at 22 mph, blowing straight onshore. The water’s a bit colder than normal at 56°, about 3° below average. It’s a mess. The combined energy is huge (3496) but it’s just a washing machine. That’s kite-surfing territory, not proper surfing. Saturday isn’t much better, still cross-on and lumpy. You’d be mad to paddle out.

Sunday the 12th starts to drop. The swell is down to 5ft from the SE, but the wind is light WSW cross-shore, with a combined energy of 742. It’s marginal, but at least you’re not getting blown off the face. The period is short at 9 seconds, so the waves will be a bit crumbly. It’s a “maybe” session for a desperate surfer.

Monday the 13th sees the swell fade to 3ft, but the wind finally swings to a light offshore from the NNW, glassing it up. The period is a middling 10 seconds, and the combined energy is weak (265). It’s clean, but tiny. A longboard or a foamie might get a few knee-high runners.

Tuesday the 14th is even smaller – 2ft in the morning, 1ft in the arvo. Clean, but basically flat. The energy is a measly 122 and 63. Time to clean the wax off your board.

Wednesday the 15th is glassy, with a 1ft ESE swell at 11 seconds (energy 47-49). Nothing to report.

Then Thursday the 16th brings a bit of life. The swell jumps to 3ft in the morning, building to 5ft in the afternoon, from the SE with a very long period of 17-18 seconds. That’s proper groundswell. The energy climbs to 1084 by the arvo. Wind is offshore from the NW at 12 mph, so it’s clean. Now, an 18-second period at a reef break like Rolling Stones is a good thing – it’ll wrap in with proper power and shape. It’s a touch small for advanced, but you’ll get some clean, lined-up sets. This is the first real standout of the run.

Friday the 17th builds to 6ft from the SE with a 15-second period, but the wind swings to a strong WSW cross-shore, then SW at 22 mph, blowing a cross-chop through it. The energy is in the 1300s, but the wind kills it. This is a watch-and-see.

The weekend of the 19th and 20th sees a drop in size, with a 3ft SSW swell on Sunday the 19th morning, 15-second period, light W cross-off wind. Clean, but small. The 20th Monday afternoon brings a spike to 7ft from the E at 9 seconds, but the wind is light cross-on, making it choppy. Not great.

Now, the real standout is the 22nd of July (Wednesday morning). A 15ft swell from the SSE at 10 seconds, and the wind is glassy from the NNW. The combined energy is massive at 6272. This is a serious, expert-only swell. For a reef break like Rolling Stones, that’s heavy, powerful, and will be breaking well overhead. The glassy conditions will make it perfect. The 10-second period means it’s not a drawn-out groundswell, so it’ll be a bit more dumpy and punchy – still incredible for the experienced crew. This is the best on offer, no question. The 23rd and 24th are still solid (10ft, 10-11 seconds) but with a bit more cross-off or cross-shore wind, so the 22nd morning is the golden window.

The 25th of July (Saturday) sees a cleanup to 5ft from the SE at 10 seconds, with light WNW cross-off wind and a combined energy of 825. It’s clean and very good. A nice, solid, manageable wave for the weekend warriors.

So, bottom line: the first week is mostly a bust. The 16th Thursday afternoon is a solid, clean, long-period option. The absolute standout is the 22nd of July, Wednesday morning, with a massive, glassy, 15ft swell at Rolling Stones – that’s for experts only. The 25th Saturday is a clean, fun-sized option to finish the run.

Rusty.

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