Cottons Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next stretch.

We’ve got Cottons Point as the only spot in the mix, so that’s where our focus is. The pattern starts off with a bit of a pulse of energy early on, but honestly, it’s a tough outlook. The water is sitting at 73°F, which is a massive 6°F warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a real standout, feels more like a tropical lagoon than a typical July morning.

The first few days, starting Tuesday the 28th of July, have some size on offer. Tuesday morning sees a 4ft swell pushing in from the SSW, with a very long 17-second period. That’s proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is a solid 1062 (moderate to strong). But here’s the rub – the wind is a cross-on at 9 mph, putting a bit of a chop on the face. It’s surfable, but a little lumpy. The afternoon cleans up a bit with the wind swinging on and dropping to 6 mph, but it’s still not pristine. The best bet of the whole window is probably Tuesday afternoon – the swell is still 4ft from the SSW, the period is still a juicy 17 seconds, and the light onshore breeze at 6 mph keeps things from getting blown out. It’s not a classic, but it’s the closest we get to clean.

Wednesday the 29th drops off a touch to 4ft-4ft, still with that long period, but the wind stays messy. By Thursday and Friday the size bumps up a little on Friday morning to 5ft from the S, but the period drops to 13 seconds and the wind is still onshore or cross-on. The energy drops too, hitting around 835 on Friday. It’s all a bit of a struggle, with the wave comment calling it “marginal” or “poor” for the entire run.

From Saturday the 1st of August, the swell really starts to fade. We drop to 2ft by Sunday the 2nd, and then it’s a long, drawn-out stretch of tiny surf. For the next week and a half, from the 2nd of August right through to the 12th of August, the swell barely cracks 3ft on the best days. The energy readings are mostly in the low hundreds – a weak 116 on the 6th, a 130 on the 6th afternoon – just not enough to get excited about. There’s a tiny spike on the 12th of August with 3ft and an 18-second period, but that’s almost two weeks out and the wind is still not favourable.

So, if you’re desperate for a paddle, Tuesday the 28th afternoon is the pick. The water is absurdly warm, the long-period swell has some push, and the wind is light. But don’t expect perfection. The rest of the 16-day window is a real flat spell. For a spot that’s *consistent*, this is a dry run. It won’t stay this way forever, but for now, it’s a time to check the wax and wait.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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