Church Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Church Cove is cooking up for us over the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, it’s a slow start. We’ve got a bit of a flat spell to begin with, so don’t bother paddling out from Friday the 7th through to the morning of Monday the 10th. The swell is tiny, mostly around 1 ft to 1 ft, and the wind isn't doing us any favours. It’s a real frustrating wait, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

Now, Monday the 10th morning, we finally see a little pulse of life. The swell picks up to 2 ft from the WNW, with a period of 9 seconds. The real story here is the wind – it’s glassy, dead calm. That’s a massive positive for such a small wave. The water temperature is sitting at 66°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you can leave the thick rubber at home. The combined energy is weak (70), so it’s not going to be powerful, but if you’re desperate for a slide on a longboard, that’s your window.

The next few days, from the 11th through the 16th, are a mixed bag of small cross-offshore swells. The wind is mostly clean, but the swell height hovers between 1 ft and 4 ft. It’s surfable for the die-hards, but nothing to get excited about. The energy readings are low to moderate, topping out at 246 on the 13th.

Alright, here’s the real standout. The 17th of August (Monday) and the 19th of August (Wednesday) are the ones to circle on the calendar. On the 17th, we see a nice jump in swell. The morning brings 5 ft from the west with a period of 10 seconds, and the combined energy is strong at 369. The wind is light offshore from the NNE, so it’ll be clean. By the afternoon, the swell pushes to 5 ft from the WNW, and the energy jumps to 593. That’s a solid, punchy groundswell. The 19th is even bigger. The morning shows 7 ft from the west, with a period of 8 seconds and energy at 539. The wind is offshore from the NNE. Then, in the afternoon, the wind drops to glassy, dead calm, with the same 7 ft west swell. That’s going to be clean as a whistle. This is a bit heavy for beginners, but for the experienced crew, it’s game on. This swell is best at Church Cove, which is a fairly exposed spot, and with that west direction, it should line up nicely.

The 20th through the 22nd, the swell hangs around the 5 ft to 4 ft mark, but the wind swings onshore from the east and southeast, making things choppy and messy. It’s a bit of a fade-out after the main event.

To wrap it up: the first week is mostly a washout. The real action is on the 17th and 19th of August. That’s your best bet for some decent, clean waves. Be ready for a crowd on the 19th, as it’s often a popular spot.

Stay stoked,
Rusty.

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