Whale Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s comin’ our way. There’s a bit of a patchy run ahead, but there are some real gems tucked in there, so don’t write it off just yet.

We kick off on Wednesday, July 22nd, with a real treat. Whale Rock is glassy first thing, with a clean 4 ft SSW groundswell pushing in at a solid 13 seconds. The water’s a touch warmer than normal at 71°, which is lovely. The combined energy is a solid 792, and with that glassy surface, it’s about as good as it gets for a midweek dawny. That’s the standout of the first few days, no question. The afternoon gets a bit cross-shore and messy, but the morning is pure gold.

Thursday the 23rd is still decent. The morning session has a clean 4 ft SSW swell with a cross-offshore breeze, so it’ll be lined up nicely. The energy is similar at 789. It’s a good follow-up, but not quite as perfect as Wednesday.

Now, Friday the 24th sees a jump in size. We’re looking at 8 ft SSW on the morning, but the wind is howling out of the southwest at 35 km/h. That’s a fresh breeze and it’s cross-offshore, so the wave face will be clean, but that’s a lot of power. The combined energy is a whopping 1756, meaning it’s got serious grunt. This is for the experienced crew only; beginners will be out of their depth. The afternoon drops to 5 ft but the period stretches to a very long 16 seconds, with a moderate cross-shore. It’s a tricky one.

From Saturday the 25th right through to Sunday the 27th, the wind turns onshore and chop ruins the show. The swell drops right off, with energy readings falling below 400. Monday the 27th is a write-off with tiny, weak waves under 3 ft. This is a real flat spell.

Things start to breathe again on Tuesday the 28th. The morning is clean with a cross-offshore breeze and a 3 ft SSW swell, but the period is 16 seconds and the energy is 619. It’s small but clean. The afternoon is the real gem here: 4 ft SSW with a very long 18-second period and an energy reading of 1238. That’s a proper groundswell. The surface is cross-shore, but with light winds, it’ll still be workable. For a point break like Whale Rock, that long period will wrap in beautifully.

The onshore wind returns from Wednesday the 29th through Thursday the 30th, chopping up the 3 ft to 4 ft swell. The combined energy is still decent, but the wind will ruin any chance of a good wave.

Now, we get another real highlight on Friday, July 31st. The morning is glassy again, with a 4 ft SSW swell at 14 seconds. The energy is 724. That’s a clean, fun, long-period swell with zero wind. That’s your second major standout. The afternoon gets blown out by a 30 km/h onshore, so get in early.

Saturday, August 1st, starts with a glassy morning too. 3 ft of S swell at 16 seconds, with 756 energy. That’s a beautiful, clean, long-period wave. It’ll be a bit smaller than Friday but just as clean. The afternoon sees a spike in size to 7 ft, but it’s a short-period 7-second windswell from the east, and the wind comes onshore. Not the same story.

Sunday, August 2nd, has a solid 8 ft to 8 ft of east swell, but the period is only 8 to 9 seconds. The energy is moderate to strong at 901 to 1085, but these are short, powerful, lumpy waves. The wind is cross-shore, so it’s not blown out, but it’s a messy, heavy shorebreak. Advanced only.

The start of the second week, Monday, August 3rd, has a similar 8 ft east swell, but it’s onshore and choppy. The energy is 1199, but it’s a messy, powerful beast. The afternoon absolutely dies, dropping to 1.0 ft. From Tuesday the 4th through Wednesday the 5th, the swell vanishes completely. Energy readings are down in the teens. It’s flat.

A new pulse of short-period swell appears on Thursday, August 6th. 7 ft of SW windswell, but the wind is a moderate cross-shore. The energy is 552. The afternoon gets worse with a 35 km/h onshore, making it lumpy. It’s a windy, messy end to the forecast.

So, the two absolute standouts are Wednesday morning, July 22nd and Friday morning, July 31st. Both are glassy, with clean 4 ft to 4 ft SSW groundswells. Get out there for those. The 28th of July afternoon is a close third if you like long-period, punchy waves. The bigger stuff on the 24th and 2nd of August is for experts only.

Rusty

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