Whale Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a long, hard look at what’s coming our way.

First up, the water is sitting at 71°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. Not a bad start.

The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a solid window of surf coming, but it’s going to be a long wait for the real magic. For the first few days, things are pretty marginal. We’ve got a gap from the start with no real standout options until we get into the later part of the month.

The real standout in this whole forecast is Whale Rock, and it’s all about the morning of Tuesday, 1st September. The wind is going to be light and offshore, coming from the NW at just 3 mph, which is about as clean as it gets. The swell will be a small but tidy 3 ft from the SSW, with a long period of 13 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is sitting at 384 (moderate). It’s an advanced reef break that’s inconsistent, so when it’s on, it’s a real treat for those who know what they’re doing. Expect clean, glassy faces. The crowds are possible here, so get in early.

Before that, Sunday, 23rd August afternoon shows some promise. We’re looking at a solid 8 ft SSW swell, with a 13-second period, and cross-off winds from the S at 9 mph. The combined energy is a massive 2299 (very strong). That’s a lot of power, and it’s only for experts. The cross-off wind will keep it reasonably clean, but it’s a lot of water moving around. The crowd factor is still something to keep in mind.

The period around Thursday, 20th August afternoon could be a sneaky one. A 3 ft SSW swell, but with a very long period of 16 seconds. The energy is strong at 754 (moderate). The wind is light from the S at 6 mph, keeping it relatively clean. This is a reef break, so that long period will wrap in nicely, giving you long, smooth lines. The breaks are inconsistent, so you’ll have to be patient, but the quality could be there for the advanced crew.

The end of the month and into September has some energy, but the wind is a problem. On Monday, 31st August morning, there’s a decent 4 ft SSW swell with a 16-second period and 742 energy (moderate), but the wind is onshore from the NE at 12 mph, making it choppy. Not ideal.

The morning of Tuesday, 1st September is the clear winner here. After that, the swell picks up again on the 2nd, but the wind is messy. On Wednesday, 2nd September morning, we’ve got 6 ft from the SSW at 13 seconds, with 1074 energy (very strong), but it’s a cross-shore wind from the SSW at 12 mph, which will put a bit of chop on the face.

Overall, the best bet is that Tuesday, 1st September morning session at Whale Rock. Everything else is either too windy, too big for all but the hardcore, or just plain marginal. The long wait for that clean, offshore day will be worth it.

Rusty.

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