Cobden Beach - The Channel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, lookin' at the charts for the next couple of weeks. We've got a spot on the radar that's gonna see some serious action, but it's a real mixed bag of conditions.

The first chance to get wet comes in on Wednesday, the 2nd of September. Cobden Beach - The Channel is the only game in town, and it's a big one. We're looking at a solid 7ft to 8ft groundswell out of the west, with a long period of 13 to 14 seconds. The energy is massive, with readings pushing 1422 and 1929, so there's plenty of grunt in the water.

The water temp is sitting at 55°F with a 0.9°F anomaly, so it's pretty much bang on average for this time of year. That's a nice bit of context.

Now, the standout window is Wednesday morning. The wind is glassy out of the east at 3 mph, and the swell is clean. The only catch is, at 7ft from the west with that long period, this spot is for experienced surfers only. Beginners, stay on the beach for this one. The afternoon on Wednesday gets messy with a 16 mph onshore wind, so that session is a write-off.

Thursday the 3rd is a no-go in the morning. The swell jumps to 8ft, but the wind is onshore and the combined swell energy is 998, which is moderate. It's not going to be clean. The afternoon is marginal with a 4ft swell and cross-on breeze.

Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th are a total bust. The swell is huge, 12ft to 13ft, but the wind is howling onshore and the water is a mess. The energy numbers are in the thousands (up to 5633), but it's just too big and blown out for any paddle surfing. Unless you're a kite surfer, stay home.

Sunday the 6th is messy as well, with a 10ft to 7ft swell and strong onshore winds. The energy is still very high (5152), but it's lumpy, ugly, and not worth the hassle.

Monday the 7th is a weird one. We get an 8ft swell in the morning with clean, cross-offshore winds from the ESE at 9 mph. The energy is 2861. Then in the afternoon, it drops to 8ft with glassy, light winds from the SSW. Conditions look beautiful, but the swell is still predicted to be too big for this break. If you're an expert and you're feeling brave, the afternoon session might be a goer, but it's a call you'll have to make on the day.

Tuesday the 8th through to Wednesday the 16th is a real mixed bag of marginal and poor conditions. The swell drops off, and the winds are inconsistent. There's a small window on Tuesday the 8th morning with a 4ft swell and light cross-shore wind, but it's only a marginal score. The energy is a weak 758. Not much to write home about.

Then we get a little glimmer. On Thursday the 17th of September, we have a solid 7ft west swell with a 14-second period. The energy is a strong 2005. The wind is moderate cross-shore, and the setup is described as "too big for this break." But then, the afternoon of the 17th looks like a real standout. The swell drops to 6ft from the west-southwest, still with a 14-second period, and a glassy-to-clean cross-offshore breeze from the east at 9 mph. The energy is 1480. This is the one to circle on your calendar. For experienced surfers, this is a prime session. The water will be clean, and the swell has plenty of push.

So, to sum it up: the best bets are the morning of Wednesday the 2nd for the brave, and the afternoon of Thursday the 17th for anyone who can handle it. The rest of the period is a write-off or a marginal gamble. Keep your eyes on the 17th, that's the one.

Rusty.

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