Whale Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Whale Rock. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead. This is an advanced, inconsistent reef break that needs a clean window, and we just aren’t gettin’ one for a while.

We start off with a bit of size on Monday the 10th, with a 10ft S swell pushin’ in, but the wind is a howlin’ cross-shore at 18 mph, makin’ a right mess of it. The combined energy is strong at 1391, but it’s lumpy cross-chop. Not one for the quiver. That afternoon drops to 8ft, but it’s still cross-shore and messy. Tuesday the 11th keeps the trend goin’ – 6ft in the mornin’ but cross-onshore and choppy, with rain showers. Not worth paddlin’ out for.

From Wednesday the 12th right through to the end of the third week of August, it’s a grim pattern. We’re stuck with cross-onshore winds from the NE and ENE, blowin’ 9 to 22 mph, just choppin’ up everything. The swell sticks around but it’s poor quality. The combined energy dips down to weak readings (as low as 33), and the period is often short. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one, if you ask me.

There’s a glimmer on Monday the 17th – the wind switches to a cross-off from the SW at 16 mph, and the report says clean. Swell is 5ft from the east with a moderate 11-second period and 616 combined energy. It’s still only rated marginal, and the break is inconsistent, so it’s a long shot. But if you’re desperate and the tide lines up, that Monday mornin’ is the only session that looks remotely doable in the first two weeks.

Now, headin’ into the last week, things get more interestin’ but still tricky. Sunday the 23rd has a 5ft SSW groundswell with a 12-second period and light onshore wind – combined energy is a solid 1057. Then Monday the 24th is the real standout, but it’s far out. That mornin’ sees an 8ft S swell with a very long 16-second period and a massive combined energy of 3543. The wind is a light 9 mph cross-onshore, so it’ll be fairly clean. That’s a powerful, long-period groundswell – perfect for a reef like Whale Rock, but at 8ft, this is strictly for experts. The long period means long lulls between sets, so paddlin’ out won’t be as hard as the size suggests. That Monday the 24th is the best lookin’ session on the whole board, but it’s a week and a half away – keep an eye on it.

Tuesday the 25th drops back to 5ft with a shorter 13-second period and cross-onshore wind – back to the chop.

Overall, it’s a long, bleak run until that big S groundswell on the 24th. If you’re an expert and can wait, that’s the one to circle. Otherwise, it’s a whole lotta nothin’ for your trouble.

Rusty.

Read more