Cottons Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what the ocean's got cookin' for us. We’re looking at Cottons Point, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag, a long game, with a decent spike in the middle if you’re patient. The water is sitting at a very warm 72°, a full 6° warmer than usual for this time of year, so you can leave the 5/4 at home for now.

Right now, there’s really nothing worth paddling out for. We’ve got a small, weak swell around 2 ft but it’s cross-on and the energy is just okay (928). The whole first week is like this – a lot of marginal, small surf with ripples from the wind. Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th have tiny waist-high waves, but the wind is straight offshore, so it’s clean if you’re desperate for a log session. By Sunday the 26th, it starts to nudge up to about 4 ft, but the period is dropping, and it's still cross-on.

The real standout window builds from Tuesday the 29th of July through to the start of August. Monday the 27th sees the swell push into the chest-high range (4 ft) with solid energy readings (1147), but it’s still got that cross-on bump. The best bet looks like the afternoon of Tuesday the 28th and morning of Wednesday the 29th. Tuesday arvo has 5 ft from the SSW with a period of 17 seconds, light offshore wind, and a strong energy kick (1133). That's a proper groundswell setup. The direction is a little off the optimum SW, but the wind will make it tidy for the experienced crew.

Then we see a jump. Friday the 31st of July brings the biggest swell of the run, pushing 6 ft from the south. This is a solid, powerful swell (1466) but the period drops to 14 seconds, and the wind goes cross-off, so it might get a bit lumpy. This is expert territory. Saturday the 1st of August holds onto that 6 ft swell, period 13 seconds, but the wind finally goes clean offshore from the SW. That morning with the glassy conditions will likely be the pick of the whole two weeks, offering head-high plus walls for those who can handle it.

After the 1st of August, it all falls apart. The swell drops away fast. From Monday the 3rd of August onward, the energy numbers are in the low hundreds, the swell height collapses under 3 ft, and the report calls it poor conditions. By the second week, we’re looking at weak, knee-high slop with constant cross-on winds. A total write-off.

So to sum it up: the waiting game is on. The first week is a dud for anything good. The standout is the morning of Saturday the 1st of August with that 6 ft offshore swell at Cottons Point. It’s a consistent spot, and with the light wind, it’s going to be lined up. Get ready for some crowds, though, as it will be busy. The weekend before that, Friday the 31st, holds the biggest swell but is only for the experts. The rest of the second week is flat and not worth a look.

Stay patient, Rusty.

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