Cobden Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way this period.

We’re starting off with a bit of a wait. The first decent chance doesn’t show up until Thursday the 30th. Before that, nothing worth paddling out for. The overall pattern is a mixed bag of clean windows and some solid, raw power that will be too messy to ride.

Our main focus for the first week is Cobden Breakwater. It’s a breakwater setup, fairly consistent, and exposed to the swell. The water temp is sitting at 54°, which is about 0.9° cooler than average for this time of year, so nothing wild, just standard winter chill.

Thursday morning, the 30th, kicks things off with a solid 4ft W swell running at 13 seconds. That’s a nice, long-period groundswell. The wind is a gentle NE breeze, offshore, keeping it clean. The combined energy is moderate at 653. It’s a decent start, but the standout is yet to come.

Thursday afternoon, though, the wind swings N and picks up to 16 mph, making it messy. Not the call.

Now, Friday the 31st is a write-off. The swell blows up to 15ft to 16ft, but it’s a raw, onshore mess with 22 mph winds. That’s expert-only territory, and even then, the conditions are poor. The combined energy hits 3913 and then 8966, which is very strong, but it’s just not rideable for paddle surfing. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The real standout of the entire period is Saturday the 1st of August. The morning starts with clear skies, 7ft of W swell, 11-second period, and a gentle cross-off breeze from the ESE. The combined energy is a solid 941. It’s clean, it’s got power, and it’s great for intermediates. But the afternoon is where it gets special. The wind drops to a dead glassy calm, 3 mph from the WSW, and the swell settles to a clean 5ft with a 10-second period. Glassy conditions are a major positive. That’s prime surf.

Sunday the 2nd is a nice, relaxed follow-up. Morning has 3ft with a light cross-off, and the afternoon goes completely glassy, with a 1ft, 21-second swell. That period is very long, so it’s an old groundswell, more suited to the point-like nature of the breakwater. Energy is low at 309, but it’s a fun, clean end to the weekend.

The start of the next week, Monday the 3rd, is a bust again with onshore wind and a 4ft to 8ft mess. Energy is strong at 1530, but the wind is terrible.

The next true highlight pops up on Tuesday the 4th of August. The afternoon is absolutely firing. Clear skies, 5ft of W swell, 14-second period, and a glassy wind from the WSW. The combined energy is 1055, which is strong, and the conditions are clean. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers.

The rest of the first week and into the second week is a series of clean, smaller days. Wednesday the 5th has a clean 3ft morning, but nothing special. From Thursday the 6th through to Sunday the 9th, the size drops, with swell heights mostly under 3ft. The periods are short, around 8 seconds, so it’s weak, windswell stuff. The combined energy dips to around 115-182, which is weak. It’s surfable but very ordinary.

We get a bit of a pulse on Monday the 10th of August. The morning has 3ft of WSW swell at 15 seconds, clean with a light breeze. The energy is 454, moderate. The afternoon goes glassy, a beautiful 3ft at 15 seconds, energy 360. It’s small, but it’s clean.

The following days, Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th, are tiny. Wednesday the 12th afternoon does have a clean 3ft at 18 seconds, with energy at 578. That’s a very long period for that size, so it’s a clean, lazy groundswell.

Thursday the 13th shows a bit more size, with 6ft to 6ft from the NNW, but the period is a weak 9 seconds, and the wind is a moderate cross-off. The combined energy is 897 and 767, moderate, but it’s a bit lumpy and the tide might be a factor. It’s a marginal call.

The period finishes on Friday the 14th of August with small, clean but marginal conditions.

So, the standout sessions are the Saturday afternoon (1st) and the Tuesday afternoon (4th). Both offer glassy, clean conditions with solid, rideable swell. That’s your best bet.

Rusty

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