Church Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Church Cove has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with some real gems waiting for the patient ones, but plenty of ordinary days to get through first.

The water’s sitting at a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, coming in at 64°F, so that’s a nice little bonus if you’re heading out.

Right off the bat, Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th are pretty much a write-off. The wind is on it or cross-on, and the swell is messy and short-period. The combined wave energy is weak to moderate (330 to 775), but the quality just isn’t there. Don’t bother paddling out for those.

Now, Saturday the 5th is where things get interesting. First light is looking glassy with a clean 5ft west swell at 12 seconds. That’s proper groundswell. The energy is solid (728), and with zero wind, the waves will be holding their shape. This is a standout for the early session, no doubt about it. The afternoon drops a little, but still rideable.

Sunday the 6th fades fast, with the swell dropping to 2ft and energy down to just 96. We’ve got a few flat days until the next pulse.

Monday the 7th brings a big jump – 8ft west swell at 12 seconds, with a massive combined energy of 1610. That’s strong wave energy, but the wind is cross and bumpy in the morning, and cross-on in the afternoon, so it’s going to be a messy, lumpy beast. Only for the experienced crew, and even then, it’s marginal.

The week continues with moderate to fresh cross-shore winds and choppy conditions through the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th. Nothing worth writing home about, with energy levels bouncing between 167 and 796. The swell is there, but the wind just won’t play nice.

Then we get a break. Sunday the 13th morning shows a moderate offshore wind from the NE, with a clean 4ft west swell at 11 seconds. The energy is moderate (436), and the wind is offshore, so the waves will be clean and lined up. This is a good, quiet option.

But the real highlight, the absolute best on offer, is Tuesday the 15th. Both the morning and afternoon are looking epic. The morning has a 5ft west swell with a very long 16-second period, offshore wind from the NE, and a combined energy of 1227. That’s groundswell with serious power. The afternoon is even better – 6ft west swell, still 16 seconds, light east wind, energy of 1793, and the report says excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers. This is a proper session. The long period means the waves will be powerful and clean, especially at a point break or reef setup. Church Cove is fairly exposed to the SW, which matches the direction, so expect some beautiful, lined-up waves. The crowd can be there sometimes, but for a Tuesday, you might get lucky.

After that, the 16th and 17th drop off again, with lighter winds but smaller swell and much less energy. The 18th is barely a ripple, with a 1ft swell and energy of just 19.

So, the honest word: if you can wait, the 5th morning is a treat, and the 13th morning is a clean, quiet option. But the 15th is the one you want to circle on the calendar. That’s a day to get wet.

Rusty.

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