White Rocks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks around White Rocks are looking pretty bleak for a decent paddle. We’ve got a long stretch of small, messy, and wind-affected surf ahead, so don’t get too fired up just yet. The good news is there’s a glimmer of hope a fair way out, but it’s a patient man’s game.

The pattern for the next week and a half is pretty poor. From Monday the 17th right through to Sunday the 23rd, we’re looking at tiny waves – mostly under 3 feet – with a lot of onshore and cross-shore wind. The swell energy is weak to moderate at best, with readings like 24 and 53 in the mix. It’s not going to be worth your time getting wet. The water temp is sitting at 60°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing weird there. But the surf itself is just flat and lumpy.

We do see a slight bump around Wednesday the 19th, with the swell pushing to about 5ft and the period stretching out to 11 seconds. That’s a bit of groundswell energy (460 in the combined energy), but the wind is all over the shop – cross-off in the morning, then cross-on in the afternoon. It’s a marginal call at best, and the score reflects that. Not worth chasing unless you’re desperate for a grovel.

Then it’s back to the doldrums. Thursday and Friday the 20th and 21st have onshore winds and short-period junk. The weekend is more of the same, with choppy cross-on conditions. There’s a brief tease on Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th, when the wind swings offshore and the surf cleans up, but the swell drops right back to about 2ft. It’s surfable but very ordinary – just small, clean rollers. If you’re a beginner, this is your window, but don’t expect any power.

Thursday the 27th offers similar small, clean waves, but the energy is weak. Then Friday the 28th is flat – barely a ripple at 0.7ft.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. Saturday the 29th sees a pulse of swell bumping up to 5-6ft, but it’s accompanied by a fresh 19 mph cross-onshore wind. That’s a messy, lumpy day, and honestly, with that wind and the beach setup, it might be more fun for the kite crowd than us paddle surfers. The energy is moderate (around 209-277), but the quality is shot.

The real standout, the one you should circle on the calendar, is Monday the 31st of August. We’ve got a proper swell coming in at about 5ft from the WNW, with a 10-second period and the combined energy jumping to 760 – that’s the strongest we’ve seen all forecast. The morning wind is a light cross-offshore breeze, which should keep it clean. This is the best chance for a proper surf in the whole run. It’s got good energy, decent size, and the conditions look favorable. The only downside is it’s a week and a half out, so treat it as promising but not locked in.

Tuesday the 1st of September isn’t far behind, with 5ft groundswell and clean conditions in the morning, but the period drops a touch and the wind picks up in the afternoon. Still, Tuesday morning looks like a solid backup.

So, my take: it’s a long, flat stretch with one real window of opportunity at the end. If you can wait it out, Monday the 31st is your best bet. Otherwise, keep the board in the car for the small, clean days on the 25th and 26th. It’s not great out there, but it’s not dead either. Keep the faith.

Rusty.

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