Whale Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for our local patch.

First up, we’re looking at a spot that's a bit of a specialist’s wave. Whale Rock is a reef break that needs the right conditions to fire, and it’s a bit inconsistent. The water is sitting at 71°, which is a touch warmer than what we’d usually expect for this time of year.

The outlook kicks off on Thursday, 23 July, but honestly, it’s nothing to write home about. We’ve got a small 3 ft SSW swell, but the wind is a messy cross-shore, so it’s going to be a bit of a chop fest. The combined energy is only moderate (480), so it’s a pretty weak set-up. Not a day to get excited about.

Friday the 24th sees a jump in size. The morning brings a solid 7 ft SSW swell with a fresh cross-offshore wind, which should clean it up a bit. The energy is strong (1562), and it’s a short period of 10 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. This is getting into the size that’s a bit much for beginners. The afternoon drops to 5 ft but the wind swings cross-shore, making it messy again.

Now, Saturday the 25th is where we need to lock in. The morning session is the standout of the whole period. We’ve got a 4 ft SSW swell, a period of 15 seconds, and glassy conditions with that ENE breeze at just 3 mph. That’s clean, lined-up surf right there. The combined energy is moderate (966), but with that long period, it’s got some real grunt. This is a groundswell, so it’ll be a bit more lined up and powerful, but at a reef break like this, it’s going to be a treat. The afternoon gets a bit choppy again, so make it a dawn patrol.

The rest of the first week and into the second is a bit of a write-off. Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th are a mix of small, choppy, and onshore winds. There’s a pulse on the 28th (Tuesday) with a 8 ft S swell, but it’s cross-onshore and messy, so it’s not worth the paddle out. Late July and early August are dominated by bigger, stronger swell but with howling onshore winds from the east. The wave heights climb to 10 ft+ on the 29th and 30th, but the wind is a fresh onshore, making it a complete mess. With that much swell and poor quality, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

We then hit a bit of a gap before things get interesting again. There’s a window on Saturday, 1 August, with a 8 ft ESE swell and a light cross-shore wind. The energy is strong (1185), but it’s a bit of a gamble. The following days are mostly small and choppy.

The real potential for the far end of the forecast is on Wednesday, 5 August. We’ve got a 4 ft SSW swell, but the period is a massive 17 seconds in the morning, hitting 22 seconds in the afternoon. That’s a very long period groundswell. The energy is strong (1309 and 2544). The wind is a moderate cross-shore, so it’s not perfect, but that kind of period will produce some seriously powerful, well-shaped waves at this reef. It’s a promising one, but it’s a long way off, so keep an eye on it.

The run ends on Friday, 7 August, with a drop back to small 3 ft SSW swell and a clean cross-offshore wind. It’s a small finale, but a nice one.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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