Cobden Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. For the next 16 days, Cobden Breakwater is your only show in town, and it’s a bit of a wild ride – some real beauty windows, but plenty of moments where the ocean will have the upper hand. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so don’t expect any surprises there. Let’s break it down.

The first decent surf kicks off Tuesday morning, 1 September, with a big 13ft W swell pushing in from the west. The combined energy is pumping at 4020 – that’s strong. Problem is, the wind is a cross-on SSW breeze at 9 mph, making things pretty choppy. Tides and wind are fine, but honestly, that swell is way too meaty for this break unless you’re a seasoned local in the know. The swell drops to 10ft by Tuesday afternoon, but the light cross-onshore wind keeps it messy.

Wednesday morning, 2 September, is where the magic happens. You’ve got a 7ft W groundswell with a long 13-second period, and the wind is absolutely dead calm. Glassy conditions. It’s excellent for experienced surfers, and the 1422 combined energy is solid. This is your standout session – clean, lined-up waves rolling in from the optimum WSW direction. But by Wednesday afternoon, the wind swings WNW at 18 mph, cross-on and lumpy. No good.

Thursday 3 September is a wash with rain and lumpy conditions. A 8ft WNW swell in the morning (combined energy 1038) is cross-on, and tide issues make it marginal. Better to wait.

Friday 4 September is a horror show – 18 mph onshore winds both morning and afternoon with 13ft walls of chop. Combined energy over 2800, but absolutely unsurfable.

Saturday 5 September has a 12ft W swell with very long 14-second period, combined energy 4457. Sounds epic, but it’s again too big and cross-on in the morning. Afternoon is cross-shore and a bit better, but the swell is still 10ft and the wind is 9 mph from the NW. Only for the brave.

Sunday 6 September is blown out with 22 mph NNW cross-winds and a lumpy 6ft swell. Combined energy 3729 means a lot of moving water, but it’s messy.

Monday 7 September sees the biggest swell of the forecast – 18ft W at 14 seconds, combined energy 11207. That’s extreme. Onshore wind at 12 mph from the WSW. For experts only, and even then, survival mode.

Then we get a sweet window: Tuesday 8 September morning. Offshore E wind at 3 mph, clean, with a 8ft W swell at 12 seconds. Combined energy 1883. That’s excellent for experienced surfers. The wind is light offshore, so those waves will be peeling nicely. This is your second standout.

Wednesday 9 September is small – 3ft W swell, combined energy only 400. Wind is cross-off NNE at 12 mph, so clean but tiny.

Thursday 10 September has a 7ft W swell with a very long 19-second period, combined energy 3950. That’s a lot of energy, but the wind is cross-on from the SSW at 9 mph. Those long-period waves will wrap around, but it’s choppy.

Friday 11 September morning is glassy again, with an ESE wind at 3 mph, and a solid 8ft W swell at 16 seconds. Combined energy 3284. Excellent for experienced surfers. The wind is near glass, so expect clean, powerful lines. Another standout.

Saturday 12 September morning – dead calm, glassy, 8ft W swell at 15 seconds, combined energy 3258. Same story, clean and powerful. These two mornings are the best of the second week.

Sunday 13 September gets messy again with cross-on winds and a 10ft swell.

The rest of the forecast into the third week has big swell (10ft to 13ft) with off and cross-off winds, but the swell is consistently too big for this break. The very end, Wednesday 16 September morning, has a 13ft W swell with light cross-off wind, but again, size over 8ft means it’s for experts only.

So the absolute standout is Wednesday morning, 2 September – glassy, groundswell, and decent size. Next best are Tuesday 8 September morning and Friday 11 September morning for clean, powerful conditions. If you’re in the water during those glassy windows, you’ll be smiling.

Rusty.

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