Whale Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s headed our way for the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a long, tough stretch ahead with very few windows of clean surf. The pattern is mostly messy, with cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions dominating the forecast. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until Thursday the 20th, and even then it’s a short-lived moment.

The focus is on Whale Rock, a reef setup that’s inconsistent and best left for the advanced crew. The water temp is sitting at 70°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

The first few days are a write-off. We’ve got moderate to fresh cross-onshore winds, lumpy seas, and swell heights that are either too small or too messy to bother with. The combined energy readings are all over the place, but the conditions are just poor. Wednesday the 12th has a 7 ft SE swell with a short 8-second period and easterly wind thrashing it – that’s a no-go. Thursday the 13th isn’t any better, with a 4 ft E swell and cross-on breeze. Friday the 14th, Saturday the 15th, Sunday the 16th… all the same story. Cross-shore chop, moderate wind, and poor surf. There’s a morning on the 15th with 5 ft E swell, but it’s still cross-shore and only rated as marginal. The 16th has a 6 ft E swell with a longer 11-second period, but the wind is cross-onshore again, ruining any chance of clean waves.

We finally get a bit of a breather on Thursday the 20th. The morning window is the standout. We’ve got a 4 ft S swell coming in with a clean, cross-offshore breeze from the SW. The combined energy is solid at 768, and the report says to expect very good surf conditions. This is your best shot in the whole outlook. The light wind will keep the surface glassy, and that reef will handle the S swell well. Just remember, this spot is inconsistent and for advanced surfers only, so it won’t be firing every set, but when it does, it’ll be worth it.

After that, it gets messy again. Friday the 21st has an 8 ft SSW swell with a short 8-second period and strong cross-shore wind – mighty powerful with energy at 1262, but the wind and short period mean it’ll be a lumpy, walled-up mess for experts only. Saturday the 22nd offers a flicker of hope with a 5 ft SSW swell and a long 17-second period in the morning, plus a clean cross-offshore breeze in the afternoon. The energy is high (1371 in the morning), but the conditions are still only marginal. The long period will make those waves fat and straight at this reef, but the wind is clean.

The final week is a flat, frustrating run. From Sunday the 23rd onward, the swell drops off, the winds turn onshore or cross-shore again, and the energy readings fall away. There’s a morning on the 24th with a 4 ft S swell and a good 15-second period, but the cross-onshore wind kills it. After that, it’s mostly 3 ft or less, with light wind ripples and choppy conditions through to the 27th.

So, take it from me: the only true standout is Thursday the 20th morning at Whale Rock. That’s your clean, offshore window with a solid S swell. Get on it if you can, because after that, we’re waiting a long time for anything decent.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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