Church Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, grab a coffee, let’s have a proper look at what’s on offer for Church Cove. I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s a pretty bleak stretch ahead. This is one of those times where the ocean just isn’t playing ball, and we’re looking at a long, dry spell.

We’ve got no decent surf at all from now through to early August. It’s a real bummer, but for a spot that breaks inconsistently like Church Cove, a blank run like this isn't unheard of. The swell is tiny, the winds are a mess, and it’s just not worth paddling out for days on end.

The first faint glimmer of something actually surfable shows up on the morning of Friday the 31st of July. We’ll see a small 3ft swell from the WNW with a short, weak 6-second period. The combined energy is a meagre 85, so it’s weak. The wind is a light cross-off from the NNW, which will make the surface clean, but honestly, the wave comment says it all: “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” It’s not a standout, just the first time it’s not a total write-off. That little bump doesn’t last, and we go straight back to poor conditions for the weekend.

Now, if you can wait, things start to get a bit more interesting towards the middle of the second week. Wednesday the 5th of August sees a jump in size, with 4ft waves from the SW. The period is still short at 7 seconds, but we’ve got a moderate offshore wind from the NNE and NE keeping things clean. The combined energy is moderate at 128 to 143. It’s still only rated as very ordinary, but it’s the best we’ve seen.

The real highlight, and the one session to earmark in your diary, is Thursday the 6th of August. The morning is a bit questionable with a 6ft W swell, but the afternoon looks the goods. The same 6ft height holds, with a 7-second period, but the wind swings light offshore from the ENE, and the combined energy jumps to a solid 309. The comment says “expect good surf conditions.” For this stretch, that’s the absolute standout. The water temp is 68°F, which is a whopping 6°F warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you won't need a thick wetsuit.

After that peak, it gets ugly again. A massive 8ft swell on the 8th of August (Saturday) brings a crazy 1043 combined energy, but it’s accompanied by a howling 22 mph onshore wind from the SSW and a 25 mph cross-onshore the same afternoon. That’s a full-on mess, blown out and dangerous, only for experts if anyone is mad enough. The surf quality is rated as poor, and honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. It stays windy and lumpy right through to the end of the forecast.

So, it’s a long wait, but if you’re keen, the 6th of August afternoon is your best shot. For the rest, stay patient. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s mostly one to sit on the beach for.

Rusty.

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