Church Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve got the local scoop for Church Cove. Let’s be straight with you—this stretch of coast is going through a quiet spell. The water’s sitting at about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there. But the surf? It’s a long, flat run with very little to get excited about.

Right now, and through the rest of August, it’s pretty barren. From Friday 21 August through to Monday 31 August, the swell is tiny—mostly below 2 ft with weak energy (mostly under 100, a few days creeping into the low 200s). The winds are a problem too: cross-off, cross-on, and onshore all the way, with moderate to strong breezes kicking up chop. There’s a bit of a bump on Wednesday 26 August when a short-period S/SSW swell hits 5 ft to 6 ft, but it’s wind-affected, lumpy, and stormy-looking with risk of thunderstorms. The energy climbs to 200 to 437, but the quality is poor. That’s not a day for a paddle; it’s more of a kite-surfing setup if you’re into that. The swell gets bigger again on Saturday 29 August, with 8 ft from the west, but the wind is cross-on and choppy, and the waves are short-period—messy for anyone but experts.

Into early September, there’s a gap of a few days with no real surf on offer. Then on Thursday 3 September, a faint pulse of long-period groundswell (15 seconds) from the SSW shows up, but it’s only 1 ft—barely a ripple. The morning is glassy with light air, making it clean, but the energy is weak (82). Still, it’s the best-looking window in the whole outlook. Friday 4 September morning has a similar tiny 1 ft SSW swell with a 14-second period, clean under light ESE winds, and energy at 97. It’s surfable but very ordinary. On Saturday 5 September morning, a 5 ft SW swell with a short 5-second period rolls in with offshore ENE winds at 12 mph, making it clean. The energy is 149—moderate—but the period is too short to hold shape properly. For a beginner, that’s manageable size, but the quality is just ordinary.

Honestly, if you’re desperate for a wave, Thursday 3 September morning is the standout—glassy, clean, and that long-period groundswell is a rare treat here, even if tiny. It’s a point break setup, so that long period will work nicely. But don’t expect much. Crowds are possible at Church Cove, but not on days like this. The rest of the window is a write-off. Forecasts can change, and this spot is inconsistent, so a blank run like this isn’t unusual.

Rusty

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