Cottons Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got a good look at the forecast for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a solid little window of surf coming up, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag—some clean, punchy stuff for the experienced crew, then a long, slow fade into smaller, sloppier conditions. Let’s get into it.

The swell starts rolling in this Saturday morning, 5 September, with a 3ft groundswell from the SSW at a nice long 16-second period. The wave energy is strong at 1040, and the water is sitting at 74°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year—a rare treat. The spot is Cottons Point (a reef and point setup), and the wind is light cross-on from the WSW at 3 mph, so it’s a bit rippled but still surfable. By Saturday afternoon, the swell picks up to 4ft, but the wind swings to the W at 9 mph, making it a bit choppier. This is a solid start, but the real standout comes Sunday morning, 6 September.

Sunday morning is the best of the bunch. Swell is 6ft from the S at 14 seconds, with wave energy at 1272—strong stuff. The wind is offshore from the NNE at 9 mph, and it’s clean as a whistle. This is excellent for experienced surfers. The tide could be a factor, but with that offshore wind and a decent groundswell, Cottons Point will be offering some proper barrels. The period is right in the sweet spot for a point break, so expect good shape and long, peeling rides. Sunday afternoon keeps it clean with a 5ft swell and light NNW wind, still a solid option.

Monday morning, 7 September, the swell jumps to 6ft from the SSW, but the wind is cross-on from the WNW at 9 mph, making it a bit messy. The energy is still high at 1272, but the conditions are marginal. This is really only for the experienced crew, and even then, the chop will make it tricky. Monday afternoon drops a touch to 6ft, and the wind picks up to 12 mph, so it’s a cross-shore mess. From Tuesday, 8 September, things start to wind down. The swell drops to 5ft, then 5ft, and the wind stays cross-on or cross, with wave energy falling from 912 to 767. The quality is poor, and it’s not worth paddling out.

By Wednesday, 9 September, the swell is down to 2ft, and the energy is weak at 481. The rest of the week and into the second week is a long, slow fade. There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations. From Thursday, 10 September, through to the end of the forecast on Sunday, 20 September, the swell stays small—mostly 1ft to 3ft—with short to medium periods and cross-on or onshore winds. The wave energy is all below 1000, mostly in the 200 to 700 range, which is weak to moderate. The water temp anomaly is only given for the first day, but the rest of the period is a washout. A few sessions on the 19th and 20th of September show a tiny bump—3ft to 3ft from the SW at 18-19 seconds—but with light cross-on winds, it’s only marginal at best. The truth is, after Monday, 7 September, you’re better off waiting for a better forecast.

So, the standout is Sunday morning, 6 September, at Cottons Point. That 6ft S swell with offshore NNE wind and strong energy is the only real session to get excited about. Sunday afternoon is a close second. After that, it’s a long, dry spell. Keep an eye on the forecast, because it tends not to stay poor for long around here, but right now, that’s the call.

Rusty.

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