Walton Rocks (Power Plant) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here. I’ve been looking at the charts for Walton Rocks (Power Plant), and I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s a pretty grim outlook for the next couple of weeks.

The overall pattern is one of weak, short-period wind swell and a lot of cross-shore or onshore wind. The combined swell energy is mostly weak, with values sitting in the low two-digit to three-digit range (392 recorded on the 7th of August, but that doesn't save it). The water temperature is sitting at 84°, which is about average for this time of year.

We’re kicking off with a poor run straight away. From Friday afternoon, the 7th of August, right through to the end of this 16-day window, the surf is just not good. The first couple of days have a short-period swell from the east around 5ft, but it’s cross-shore and messy, with storm risk. The combined energy drops fast, and by the 8th of August morning, it’s down to 120 (moderate energy). The swell is tiny, the period is short, and the wind is never truly offshore. You’ll see a few glassy mornings on the 12th, 14th, and 16th of August, but the swell is barely registering – 0.7ft and 1.0ft. That’s barely a ripple.

There is a long gap of absolutely no recommended surf. It’s a stretch of 13 days straight where the forecast is just poor. The consistency is there, but it’s consistent in being bad. For a spot that usually has some form of wave, this is a dry spell. The only glimmer of hope comes on the 20th of August, Thursday morning. We get a tiny bump of 2ft from the northeast, with clean, light cross-offshore winds. The combined energy is still low (59), and the period is short (5 seconds), but it’s the cleanest window we’ve seen. You’ll be on a longboard or a foamie, but it’s surfable. This is the only real standout, but it’s weak.

The 21st of August Friday morning has a light offshore wind too, with 2ft of swell (period 6 seconds), but the energy is still low (46). The following Saturday the 22nd of August also has a clean, offshore wind, but again, the swell is tiny at 2ft and the period is short.

For the whole period, the swell is too small and weak for any real wave power. There’s nothing here for a beginner or an expert. The short period and mostly cross-shore wind mean the waves will be weak and choppy. This setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, given the consistent wind.

Stay patient, check back in a few days, and forecasts can change. But for now, it’s a tough call.

Rusty.

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