Cobden Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ll be straight with you – the next fortnight at Cobden Breakwater is a mixed bag with plenty of waiting involved. The first few days are pretty much a write-off for paddle surfing, with a massive slug of heavy, onshore energy rolling through. We’ve got a 12 ft swell from the NNW slamming in on Friday morning the 28th, with a moderate northerly wind, and that’s carrying combined wave energy of 2638 – that’s solid, powerful stuff – but it’s just too big and messy. The swell drops a bit through the weekend, but strong onshores keep it ugly. On Sunday the 30th, a 8 ft westerly swell at 14 seconds arrives, but it’s pinned down by 12 mph westerly winds right on the nose, and energy’s at 2404. That’s one to skip.

The first real window that gets me excited is Wednesday morning, September 2nd. We get a drop to a 7 ft swell from the west with a long 14-second period, and the wind goes glassy – literally a slight air from the NE. That’s pristine conditions for Cobden Breakwater, a breakwater setup. The water’s sitting around 54°F, which is pretty average for this time of year, so you’re not dealing with any weird temperature anomalies. The combined energy is 1929, so there’s plenty of grunt in the water, but the long period means the sets will be clean and well-spaced. This break can handle that west swell, especially with optimum direction being WSW, and the offshore wind is ideal. It’s too big for beginners though at over 5 ft – this one’s for experienced surfers only. Great session on the cards.

Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of September also show promise. Friday morning the 4th is a standout for me – we’ve got a 6 ft swell from the WSW, 14-second period, and a light ENE offshore breeze at 6 mph. That’s clean, lined-up waves at Cobden Breakwater. The energy sits around 1602, so it’s moderate still, but with the offshore flow and that solid period, the waves will have shape and push. Crowds are rare here, which is a bonus. A bit of a gap then until Monday morning September 7th – that’s the other real highlight. Glassy conditions again with a light ENE breeze, an 8 ft swell from the west at 14 seconds, and combined energy of 2431. That’s a meaty, powerful groundswell pushing in clean. Again, this is expert territory due to the size, but if you’ve got the skills, it’s going to be memorable.

After that, the swell builds back up heavily through the second week with a lot of onshore wind. The morning of September 11th shows a 13 ft west swell at a very long 17 seconds, with glassy winds, but that’s just enormous for this break – combined energy is a massive 9688. That’s extreme. Only for the absolute best, and even then, be ready for a beating. Overall, the standout sessions are Wednesday September 2nd, Friday September 4th, and Monday September 7th. The rest, you’re better off taking a walk. Keep an eye on it though – forecasts change.

Rusty.

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