Whale Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for Whale Rock.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a few days of so-so surf to work through. The water’s sitting at 71°F which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice bonus if you’re paddling out.

The first real standout is Sunday morning, 2nd August. The swell is hitting 8 ft out of the ESE with a period of 12 seconds, and the glassy conditions early on – that’s light and variable, almost no wind – will make for clean, well-shaped waves. The combined energy of all swells directed here is strong, at 1954. This is a reef break, so that longish period groundswell will wrap in nicely. It’s advanced-only territory at this size, and it’s inconsistent, so you’ll want to be patient, but it’s the best session of the first week.

Wednesday morning, 5th August, is worth a mention too. The swell drops to 4 ft, still from the ESE, with a period of 10 seconds, and the glassy morning again gives you clean conditions. Combined energy is moderate at 291. It’s a smaller, more manageable day if you’re not after the big stuff.

After that, we hit a lull. The swell fades and the wind turns messy. There’s a bit of a bump from the SSW across the 6th and 7th, but it’s mostly cross-onshore or choppy, so not much to write home about. The glassy morning on Saturday the 8th is tiny, with only 3 ft from the SSW, but at least it’s clean.

Then things get interesting. Sunday the 9th into the start of the second week sees a serious pulse of energy. The combined energy of all swells directed here on the 10th is massive – 7202 – with a 16 ft swell from the SE. Yes, that is huge. The wind is cross-offshore and the waves are clean, but this is strictly for experts. The swell period is 11 seconds, which is solid. Monday the 10th is the standout of the entire forecast, but it’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it.

The 12th of August, Wednesday morning, brings another interesting window. The swell drops to 4 ft from the SSW, but the period is a very long 19 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, and with glassy conditions you’ll get clean, lined-up waves. Combined energy is still strong at 1731. This will break best at the reef, and the long period means it’ll be a bit more drawn out, but for a smaller day it’s special.

The rest of the second week fades back into smaller, wind-affected surf. Nothing really jumps out after the 12th, with the swell dropping below 3 ft and the wind staying onshore or cross.

Don’t count on the crowds too much at Whale Rock; it’s rarely crowded, but it breaks inconsistently, so you’ll mostly have the place to yourself when it’s on.

Rusty

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