Cottons Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be honest from the start – the next couple of weeks at Cottons Point are looking pretty flat and frustrating. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, wind-affected surf ahead, and it’s going to take a while for anything worthwhile to show up. The first real opportunity doesn't arrive until Thursday the 14th of August, and even then, it’s marginal. Before that, from Sunday the 9th right through to Wednesday the 13th, the swell is consistently below 3 ft with poor conditions and scores of zero. That’s a solid 5-day gap of nothing worth paddling out for.

The Outlook

From Thursday the 14th, things start to nudge up. A 2 ft to 3 ft SSW swell rolls in, with periods around 16-18 seconds, giving it some long-period energy. The combined energy climbs into the moderate range (538-699), so there’s a bit of push, but the wind is a light cross-onshore, creating just small wind ripples. The wave comment reads “marginal,” so it’s a maybe session – fun for a log if you’re desperate, but nothing to write home about.

Friday the 15th sees the swell increase a touch, with a 4 ft SSW swell on Saturday morning and a combined energy up to 752. The wind, however, swings to a gentle cross-onshore, making it “fairly choppy.” Still a marginal call, and those 16-second intervals mean long lulls between sets. This spot is a reef and point break, which is good news for handling that long-period energy, as it won’t just close out. But the quality isn't there yet.

The real standout, and the only one I’d genuinely recommend, is the window from Saturday the 15th afternoon through Sunday the 16th morning. On Saturday afternoon, you’ve got a 4 ft SSW swell with a 16-second period and combined energy at 752. On Sunday morning, a 4 ft SW swell with a 16-second period and energy at 721. The wind is a gentle cross-onshore, so the ocean will be “fairly choppy,” but these are the biggest, most energetic swells of the forecast period. The direction (SW) aligns well with the optimum swell direction from the guidance (SW). It’s not perfect – the water is way warmer than normal, 76°F with a 8°F anomaly, which is very unusual for the time of year, so don’t expect a thick wetsuit. The crowds can be a factor here sometimes, so keep that in mind. For an intermediate surfer, this is the best on offer: a long-period groundswell (over 15 seconds) that will wrap nicely around the point, giving you cleaner lines than a beach break would. Only go out if you’re comfortable with the lulls and the occasional bigger set.

After that, Monday the 17th drops back to a choppy 3 ft, and the rest of the second week drifts into smaller, marginal to poor surf. While the forecast might change, right now, it’s a long wait for a brief, average window.

Rusty.

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