Seal Rocks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I'm looking at the next sixteen days for your local stretch. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple of windows that are gonna get the stoke levels up.

The coming week is pretty quiet with small, average surf, but a very solid pulse of south swell is brewing for the second week, kicking off around September 7th. That second pulse on the 8th and 9th is the real standout, so keep that in mind.

To kick it off, Friday morning, August 28th, we actually have a decent, clean start. Seal Rocks is showing a 6ft south swell with a nice 12-second period, and with that glassy, no-wind condition it’ll look smooth. The water temp is currently 66°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there. The combined energy is moderate at 994, so there’s a bit of push to the waves. However, this setup is at a sheltered point, so it won’t be too wild. The wind turns onshore by the afternoon, so get out early.

Saturday the 29th comes in with some cloud and a good south-southeast swell around 4ft to 5ft, but the wind is a 16 mph cross-offshore, which will keep the faces pretty clean. The energy is moderate (344 to 597), and while the surf is rideable, it's nothing special.

Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st see the swell drop right down. Sunday morning has 3ft with a clean southwest offshore wind, but the energy is weak (276). Monday the 31st is interesting though – the swell is tiny at 2ft, but the period jumps to a very long 16 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, which often means better shaped waves but long lulls. At a sheltered point, it should hold up okay, and with a gentle offshore wind it’ll be glassy. The energy is moderate (530), so the little waves that come through will have some punch, but it’s strictly for the longboard or a funboard.

From Tuesday, September 1st through to Saturday, September 6th, things go flat. Swell heights drop to 2ft or less, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the energy readings are all triple-digit low or below 100. It’s a proper flat spell. You’re looking at a solid four or five days of nothing much worth paddling out for.

Hold on, because it gets real. On Sunday, September 7th, a new swell starts showing up. Monday, September 7th afternoon, we see 8ft of south swell with a 12-second period, but the wind is a strong 19 mph offshore. The energy is a powerful 2086. This is big, clean, and powerful – definitely for experienced surfers only. Tuesday, September 8th, is the peak. We’re looking at a massive 12ft south swell, period hitting 14-15 seconds, and the wind is still offshore. The combined energy is off the charts at 5234 and then 5562. This is a serious, heavy groundswell. Points and reefs will handle this best; a beach break could be closing out. This is for experts only.

Wednesday, September 9th, morning is probably the best pick for the whole run. The swell eases slightly to 8ft, still from the south with a 13-second period, but the wind goes light and variable from the south-southwest. The energy is still extremely strong at 2815. The report even says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” The morning window with light wind will be epic, but by the afternoon it’ll get a cross-shore bump.

After that, the swell drops quickly. Thursday the 10th has a 6ft swell but with onshore wind, making it messy. The rest of the period fades into small, clean but weak surf.

So, the standout for the whole outlook is definitely Wednesday morning, September 9th, at Seal Rocks. That deep south groundswell with light wind is the one to mark on your calendar. Don’t miss it, but respect the size. The Monday the 7th afternoon and Tuesday the 8th are also excellent, but bigger and windier. For the small wave crew, that Monday morning, August 31st, with the super long period, is your quirky glassy session.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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