Whale Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into what we’ve got for the next couple weeks.

It’s a mixed bag to start, and honestly, we’re looking at a bit of a slow patch before things possibly get interesting. The water’s sitting at a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, around 72°.

The standout session is shaping up for Wednesday afternoon, July 29th, at Whale Rock (reef). We’ve got a 8 ft swell from the SE, and the wind goes glassy – dead calm. That’s the kind of clean surface that’ll make you forget about the morning drizzle. The combined energy is pumping at 1275, so there’s some serious push behind it. But let’s be real, this spot is for advanced surfers only, and it’s inconsistent, so you gotta be ready to wait for the good ones. It can get a bit of a crew out there, too.

Before that, the morning of the 29th is a write-off with moderate rain and an onshore wind messing up a 7 ft swell. Not worth paddling out.

Thursday, July 30th, sees the swell drop a touch to 6 ft, but that SW wind kicks up to 16 mph. It’s cross-off in the morning, so it’ll be clean, but the score is just okay. The afternoon gets worse with a cross-shore chop.

Friday morning, July 31st, is another chance for a glassy session – 6 ft from the SE and the wind is barely a whisper. The combined energy is still solid at 887. It’s a good call for a Friday morning paddle before the crowds think about it.

After that, things flatten out and get messy. From Saturday, August 1st, all the way through to the morning of Thursday, August 7th, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-on, and the swell drops off into the 3 ft range or smaller. There are a few days in there with marginal conditions, but nothing I’d drive for. The afternoon of August 6th sees a sudden 3 ft swell from the SW with a long 14-second period, but the wind is already cross-on, messing up that potential.

Now, the long-range gets a bit more promising, but it’s a long way out. Monday morning, August 11th, we’ve got a solid 8 ft swell from the E, and the wind swings light offshore from the SW – clean. The energy is strong at 1110, but at that size, this is strictly for the experienced crew. It’s an advanced reef, so be smart. The period is 9 seconds, so it’s a bit more of a wind swell feel, not a groundswell.

The run-up to that is rough. The weekend of August 9th-10th sees some strong, messy winds and building, lumpy swell. Monday August 10th has a 10 ft to 12 ft swell, but the wind is howling, turning the reef into a washing machine. Probably better for kites than paddle boards that day.

After the 11th, it drops off fast. The morning of Wednesday, August 13th is worth a look with a 6 ft SSW swell and a light cross-shore, but it’s nothing to get excited about.

So, your best bet is the glassy windows on Wednesday afternoon July 29th and Friday morning July 31st, and keep an eye on that Monday August 11th for the bigger, cleaner stuff.

Rusty.

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