Baileys Cottage Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cooking at Baileys Cottage Reef over the next couple of weeks.

It’s a bit of a mixed bag, and we’ve got a slow start. The first decent window doesn’t show up until the morning of Saturday, August 8th, so we’ve got a few days of waiting before anything worth paddling out for. After that, we’ll get a few good sessions, then the wind and size get ugly, and it becomes a waiting game again for the second week.

Let’s get into it.

The first real standout is Saturday morning, August 8th. The swell is a solid 6 ft out of the SW, with a period of 13 seconds. That’s a nice groundswell, and the energy is moderate (1086). The wind is light, cross-off from the WSW, which means the face is going to be clean. This is a reef break, so with that long period, it’s going to hold shape and offer some nice lines. The water is a bit colder than normal for this time of year at 58°, so you’ll want a good wetsuit. This spot can be inconsistent, and it’s often crowded, so get there early to claim your spot.

That afternoon, Saturday gets even better. The swell bumps up to 8 ft, still from the SW, with a 14-second period and strong energy (2439). The wind stays light and cross-off (WSW at 6 mph). This is big, powerful, and clean. It’s over 8 ft, so this is for experienced surfers only. The reef is going to be working, but that long period can make it a bit tricky, so pick your line.

Sunday the 9th is a write-off. We’re looking at 10 ft of swell, but it’s all onshore wind from the SSE, gusting up to 31 mph. It’s going to be a mess. Same story for Monday and Tuesday—strong onshore winds and poor conditions. There’s a gap of a few days here with no worthwhile surf.

We get a short reprieve on Wednesday morning, August 12th, but it’s only marginal. The swell is 4 ft, with a very long 18-second period out of the SW, and the energy is moderate (1135). The wind is light and cross-on, so it’s not perfect. That long period on a reef is good, but the size is small.

The real treat in the second week looks like Monday, August 17th. The swell is 4 ft out of the SW, with a 13-second period and moderate energy (540). The wind is offshore from the NW at 9 mph, which is going to groom those waves perfectly. The forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is a promising one, but it’s far out, so keep your fingers crossed it holds.

After that, Tuesday the 18th brings a 7 ft SW swell, but the wind is light and onshore, so it’s going to be a bit lumpy. And then things taper off to small, clean waves for the end of the run, but nothing that’s going to get the heart pumping.

So, to sum it up: your best bet is Saturday, August 8th, with the morning being great for a solid session and the afternoon being a big-wave day for the crew. The second week holds some promise on Monday, August 17th if the forecast sticks.

Rusty.

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