Cottons Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Lookin' at the charts for the next couple of weeks, and I gotta be straight with you – it's a bit of a slow grind. The first few days have some rideable stuff, but then it really drops off into a long, quiet spell. Let's get into it.

The action starts on Tuesday, July 28th, at Cottons Point. We've got a solid 4ft SSW groundswell rolling in with a very long 17-second period. The energy is pumping at (1064), so there's some serious push behind it. That long period means the waves will have shape and power, but it can also make them a bit fat and straight on a beach break. For a reef and point like Cottons, it should be a good thing. The wind is a cross-onshore at 9 mph, so it's a little bumpy, but it's not wrecking it. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so nothing weird there.

Wednesday the 29th sees the swell drop a touch to 4ft, but the period is still a solid 16 seconds. The morning is a bit messy with that cross-onshore breeze, but the afternoon looks better – the wind goes light onshore at 6 mph, and the wave energy is still strong at (1044). Thursday hangs around the 4ft mark, but the period drops to 13 seconds, and the wind turns more cross-onshore. It'll be a bit junky, but there's still a wave to be had. Friday, July 31st, the swell picks back up to 5ft in the morning, same S swell with a 13-second period, but again, the wind is a factor. It's doable, not perfect.

Honestly, the best of this first run is probably Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday afternoon. The swell is a solid size, the period is long, and the wind is lightest then. Cottons Point is a consistent spot, so it'll be breaking, but with the crowds being "sometimes," you might find a bit of company. This is an intermediate-sized wave, so it's a fun paddle for the experienced crew.

Now, from Saturday, August 1st, it all goes pear-shaped. The swell drops from 4ft down to 2ft by Sunday, and the energy numbers crash from 480 down to 211. The wave comment turns to "poor surf conditions," and we get a score of 0. That's a hard stop. This quiet spell rolls right through the entire first week of August. From August 1st all the way until August 11th, it's just tiny, weak waves – 1ft to 3ft, and mostly onshore wind. A couple of days in the second week, like August 8th and 9th, flirt with 3ft, but the energy is still weak and the conditions are poor. It's a blank run, and for this area, that's not unusual when the swell windows shut.

The only glimmer at the very end of the outlook is on August 12th, a Wednesday. We get a small pulse of 2ft SW swell with a very long period of 18 seconds. The energy number comes back up to 447. But it's still a small wave, and the wind is a cross-onshore at 9 mph. It's a long way off, so don't hold your breath.

So, to sum it up: get on it Tuesday the 28th or Wednesday the 29th for the best chance at a decent wave. After that, it's a long wait of over a week with hardly anything worth paddling for. The forecasts can change, but right now, it looks like a good time to wax the board and get it ready, because you'll have plenty of time.

Rusty.

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