Cottons Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down this stretch.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a flat, frustrating run for the most part. We’ve got only one main spot in the mix, Cottons Point, and it’s a reef and point setup that’s exposed to a SW swell. The water’s sitting at 71°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – a nice little bonus if you’re in the water.

The problem is, for the first several days, the surf is tiny and messy. Starting Saturday the 12th, we’re looking at a weak 2ft SW swell with a period around 14 seconds, but the wind is a cross-onshore from the south at 9 mph, making it a choppy, poor surf situation. The combined wave energy is only 265, which is weak. That carries into Sunday – similar story, even smaller surf. You’d be wasting your time.

Monday the 14th has a brief spike of a 3ft W swell, but the period is a short 8 seconds, and with a moderate cross-onshore breeze, it’s just a messy, gutless wave. Not worth a paddle. The whole first week is essentially a write-off for decent waves.

Things start to change around Wednesday the 16th. The swell direction shifts to a more favourable SSW, with heights around 3ft. Now, the period is a solid 17 seconds, which is proper groundswell energy. That’s the kind of long-period stuff that will wrap nicely around this point. The combined energy bumps up to 412 (moderate), and the winds go light and variable, sometimes crossing onshore but very light.

The standout window is definitely the weekend of the 19th and 20th of September. On Saturday the 19th morning, we have a 3ft SW swell with 18-second period, combined energy at 515 (moderate to strong), and glassy, offshore wind from the SW at just 3 mph. That’s about as clean as it gets. The next day, Sunday the 20th, looks even better – morning sees a 3ft SW swell, still 18 seconds, combined energy jumping to 544, and again glassy offshore conditions. The afternoon gets a 3ft swell with energy hitting 628 (moderate to strong), with light offshore wind. This is the pick of the whole 16-day period. The surf will be small, mellow, and exceptionally clean. Given the long period (18 sec) and the point setup, expect long lulls between sets but a nice, lined-up wave when they come. It’s a reef and point, so that long-period energy will wrap in nicely and not just close out. Crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might have a few others out, but it won’t be a circus.

After that peak, we slide back into mediocrity. From the 21st onwards, the swell drops to 2ft or 2ft, periods shortening again, and the wind tends back to a side-onshore or onshore direction. There is a notable period around the 23rd and 24th where mornings have light offshore winds, but the swell is only 3ft with a period dropping to 15-14 seconds and energy fading back under 400. It’s marginal, not terrible, but not a standout either.

So to sum up: don’t bother with the first week. Get out for a session on Saturday the 19th or Sunday the 20th when it’s clean, offshore, and the point is working on that nice, long period groundswell. The rest is for the kite crew or a long walk on the beach.

Rusty.

Read more