Whale Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a tricky 16-day window ahead, with some real gems lurking if you’re patient and picky. The start is a bit of a slow burner, but the finish line has some serious potential.

The first few days are a bit of a mixed bag. For Tuesday, July 28th, the waves are a bit jumbled. Whale Rock is seeing 8ft of SSE swell with a short 8 second period, and the wind is a messy cross-shore. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 72°, about 3° above average for the time of year. The energy is high (1179), but it’s just not clean. The highlight of the early part is Wednesday afternoon, July 29th. The swell drops to 6ft from the SE, still short period, but the wind goes glassy. That’s a major positive. The ocean will be smooth, and while the energy is moderate (889), the clean conditions will make it surfable. Thursday morning, July 30th, offers a clean 7ft SE swell with a cross-offshore wind, making it a decent option.

After that, it gets rough. From Friday, July 31st, through to Wednesday, August 5th, the wind is a relentless onshore from the NE, blowing out the surf. The waves are there, but the quality is poor. The energy is moderate to strong (up to 1269), but it’s just not worth paddling out in. This is a real gap in quality surf.

There’s a slight shift on Thursday, August 6th, with a 5ft SSW swell, but the wind is still a cross-onshore. The following days are small and messy, with a few 3ft SSW swells and periods climbing to 15 seconds. This is a groundswell, but the wind is either cross or cross-on, so it’s just teasing.

Now, the real standouts are at the very end of the window, and they’re worth waiting for. The first big one is on Tuesday, August 11th. The morning shows a 10ft swell from the SW with a 17 second period. That’s a very long period groundswell. The combined energy is a massive 5802, so it’s pumping. The wind is a gentle cross-onshore, so it’s not perfect, but the size and power are undeniable. This is a big, powerful swell that will be best for experienced surfers looking for a challenge at a reef break like Whale Rock, as the long period will make it wall up nicely.

But the absolute best on offer is Wednesday, August 12th. The morning brings a massive 18ft swell from the south with a 12 second period. The energy is colossal at 8516. The wind is a light cross-shore, which is about as good as you can ask for with that size. This is a monster swell. For the second day, August 12th, the afternoon stays big with a 16ft south swell and 7772 energy. Both of these are over 8ft, so this is strictly for experts only. Whale Rock is a reef break, so it will handle this long period S swell well, but be prepared for a serious session. This is the one to circle on your calendar.

Stay safe, pick your days, and I’ll see you out there.

- Rusty

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