Cottons Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut to the chase. Looking at the next 16 days, it’s a flat spell. There’s a little energy on the horizon, but nothing that’s going to get us fired up.

The only break in the picture is Cottons Point. It’s a reef and point, consistent, and it picks up swell from the SW. The water is 74°F at the start, which is way warmer than usual for this time of year – a real bonus.

The first real chance of a wave hits on Thursday, July 30th. We’ve got a 1.0ft to 1ft swell from the SSW, with a long 15-second period. That’s proper groundswell, full of energy, with a combined energy of 798. It’s not big, but that long period will push through. The wind is a light cross-onshore from the WSW at 10 km/h, keeping things a bit bumpy. It’s marginal, but it’s the best we’ve got early on.

Friday, July 31st, is more of the same – a clean-looking morning with 1ft of SSW swell, 14-second period, light cross-onshore. The energy is still moderate at 647. Again, not a standout, just a chance to get wet.

Then things drop off. From Saturday, August 1st through to the end of the first week, the swell fades fast. The wind does turn offshore from the SW and SSW, which is a big positive, but the swell height drops to 0.5ft or less. The energy drops into the low 100s and the wave comment says “poor surf conditions” for days on end.

There’s a long gap here. From the 1st of August all the way through the 14th, nearly every session is rated poor. You’re looking at a solid two-week stretch of nothing doing, with only a few marginal morning windows on the 5th and 14th of August that barely register.

The only flicker of something different comes on Friday, August 7th, with a 0.8ft SSW swell and a very long 19-second period. That’s a long period groundswell, and the energy climbs to 482. The wind is offshore from the SW at 15 km/h. For a reef and point like Cottons, that period could produce some well-shaped, clean lines. But the swell is still tiny, and given the poor ratings, it’s hard to call it a standout. Still, if you’re desperate, that’s the morning to look for. The wind is clean, and the water is still warm.

Ultimately, the best on offer is the initial push on July 30th and 31st. If you’re a beginner, the 1ft on Friday morning is fine. The real standout is that 19-second period groundswell on August 7th – it’s the most interesting swell of the whole window, but don’t expect much size. For the rest of it, you’re looking at a lot of flat, light wind days, and with the swell so small and the energy so low, it’s less about surfing and more about enjoying the warm water. The conditions are clean, but there’s just no push.

It’s a quiet stretch. The forecast is reliable for the first few days, but the long-range stuff in the second week is a lot less certain. Keep an eye on it, but don’t book the time off work just yet.

Rusty.

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