Cottons Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's get into it.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start on the horizon. The first real opportunity to get wet doesn't show up until Friday morning, the 28th of August, down at Cottons Point. This is a reef and point setup, so it cleans up nicely when the conditions are right.

For Friday morning, we’re looking at a clean 3ft SSW groundswell rolling in with a long 17-second period. That's proper groundswell energy, and with a light onshore breeze, it’s going to be glassy. The water is a balmy 74°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – feels like a tropical treat. The combined energy is moderate (515). It’s a consistent spot, but it can get crowded sometimes, so get in early.

The swell builds a touch into Saturday the 29th, hitting 4ft from the SSW with that same long period. The morning session is still looking clean, with light winds, but the afternoon gets a bit messy as the wind swings cross-onshore. The energy picks up to a strong level (758), but the quality drops.

Honestly, the standout window is that Friday morning, the 28th. That combination of a clean, long-period SSW swell, light winds, and warmer-than-average water is the best we’ll see for a while. Saturday morning is a solid backup.

After that, the wind gets messy. From Sunday the 30th through the first week of September, the winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell quality takes a hit. The waves are still around, 3ft to 4ft, but the texture goes to crap. The energy stays moderate (around 300-700), but it’s just not clean.

There's a brief glimmer on Thursday the 3rd of September and Friday the 4th, with the swell sticking around 3ft and the wind going light and onshore in the mornings, but the forecast calls it marginal. The long period (17 seconds) is still there, but it’s a gamble.

The second week, from the 7th onward, gets pretty grim. The swell drops off, and the wind is all over the place. A few morning sessions might offer a small window with light winds, but the waves are small and period is shorter. It’s a long stretch of poor to marginal conditions. Honestly, it’s a week you might want to spend doing something else.

Bottom line: Friday the 28th of August, first light at Cottons Point. That’s your best bet. Get it while it’s clean.

Rusty.

Read more