Church Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a proper look at what the next couple of weeks are shaping up like.

To be straight with you, the outlook for Church Cove is pretty ordinary for the first week and a half. There’s a long, flat, and messy run from the start all the way through to the morning of Friday the 14th of August. Nothing much worth paddling out for – short-period, onshore slop, bumpy conditions, and very weak wave energy. The wind’s either blowing straight onshore or cross-onshore, and even when there’s a glassy morning or two, the swell’s tiny and gutless. You’d be fighting for scraps.

The first real glimmer of hope shows up on Friday morning the 14th of August. Church Cove picks up a 6 ft swell from the WNW at 7 seconds, and with a glassy surface and only slight air moving, you’re looking at clean, surfable waves. The combined energy is moderate (299), and while the period is short, it’s the first morning in ages where the conditions actually line up. The water’s a touch warmer than normal at 66° – about 4° above the long-term average, which is notable for this time of year.

The standout, though, comes on Tuesday the 18th of August. That morning, Church Cove gets a solid 8 ft swell from the west with a 9-second period, and the wind is cross-off from the NNE at 9 mph. The wave energy is strong, hitting 956, and it’s clean. The swell direction matches the guidance optimum from the SW, so the break should handle it well. This is a bigger swell – over 8 ft – so it’s really only for experienced surfers. Beginners should definitely sit this one out. Crowds are possible here, and with a clean, punchy west swell on offer, it’ll likely draw a few.

Wednesday the 19th of August brings a similar-sized 10 ft west swell at 10 seconds, but the wind flips to a cross-shore from the NW. It’s still clean, but the wave energy is very strong (1581) and the big size keeps it firmly in the expert-only zone. If you’re skilled and want a proper size day, it’s there, but the Tuesday morning is the pick.

So overall: a long, frustrating wait with almost nothing for the first week, then a couple of decent, sizey days in the second week. The Tuesday the 18th is the one to circle – big, clean, and good direction, but not for the faint-hearted.

Stay patient, check the charts, and I’ll catch you in the water.

Rusty

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