Cottons Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Cottons Point are a mixed bag, and you’ve gotta pick your moments. The water is sitting at a very unusual 75°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick wetsuit.

We start off this Saturday, August 29, with a bit of swell at 3.6ft from the SSW, with a long period of 17 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. The combined energy is a moderate 742, and the wind is a light cross-onshore at 6 mph. It’s not clean, but it’s rideable. The morning is the better call. The afternoon gets a bit more wind (9 mph cross-onshore), and it gets choppier. This is only for intermediates – too weak for anything special.

Sunday the 30th is pretty ordinary. Swell drops and the wind stays cross-onshore. The morning is a write-off with poor surf conditions. The afternoon sees the wind switch onshore, still 3.6ft, but it’s marginal. Don’t rush out.

Monday the 31st has a drop to 3.0ft from the SSW, period dropping to 14 seconds. The morning is onshore, 543 combined energy, and it’s marginal. The afternoon is poor with cross-onshore chop. Save your energy.

Tuesday September 1 is small, 2.3ft, 13-second period, and only 314 combined energy. The wind is light cross-onshore in the morning, so it’s tiny and weak. The afternoon picks up a bit to 3.3ft but with cross-shore breezes and chop. Not great.

Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd are more of the same – 3.6ft to 4.3ft swells, but the wind is always cross-onshore or onshore. Thursday afternoon does have a nice 16-second period on 3.0ft, with 903 combined energy, but the wind is cross-onshore and choppy. It’s frustrating because the swell quality is there, but the wind ruins it.

Friday September 4 and Saturday September 5 are still marginal. The swell sticks around 3.6ft from the SSW, long period up to 17 seconds, but winds are moderate and onshore or cross-onshore. Some light wind windows on Saturday afternoon could give you a few cleanish ones, but it’s nothing to write home about.

Now, finally, Sunday September 6 looks a bit better. The morning has a glassy 3.3ft from the SSW, 15-second period, with 636 energy and light SW winds. The afternoon is onshore but light. This is the first proper session window – not huge, but clean and fun for an intermediate. The water is still unusually warm.

Monday September 7 sees a jump in size: 4.9ft in the morning and 5.6ft in the afternoon from the S, 14-second period, and the combined energy goes up to 878 and then 1112 (moderate to strong). The wind is cross-onshore though, so it’s a bit lumpy. The afternoon has decent power but expect some chop. This is getting into the bigger range for intermediates.

Here’s the standout: Tuesday September 8. The morning sees 7.9ft from the SSW, 13-second period, and a strong combined energy of 1930. The afternoon pumps up to 11.5ft from the SSW, 12-second period, with a whopping 3123 combined energy – that’s very strong. Wind is cross-onshore at 6-9 mph, so it’ll be a bit bumpy, but this is big, powerful groundswell. For experts only in the afternoon – 11.5ft is serious. If you’re experienced and looking for a challenge, this is the day. The long period (13 seconds) means better shape, but at a point and reef break like Cottons, it should handle the size. Crowds are possible here (listed as “sometimes”), so be ready for company if it’s firing.

Wednesday September 9 drops back to 5.6ft in the morning but with a short period of only 8 seconds – that’s weak, choppy windswell. Combined energy 698. The afternoon is even smaller and messy. Not worth it.

From Thursday September 10 through to Saturday September 12, the swell fades to 2.0ft to 3.0ft, with periods of 14-17 seconds, but the combined energy is weak (225 to 389) and the wind is cross-onshore or onshore. It’s poor to marginal – save your time.

Then, on Sunday September 13, we get a small window of hope. The morning is glassy – wind from the north at 3 mph, dead calm, with 3.0ft from the SSW, 12-second period, and 370 combined energy. It says “expect good surf conditions.” It’s tiny, but it’ll be clean and fun for a longboard or a soft-top. The afternoon gets wrecked by 12 mph cross-onshore

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