Cowries Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break it down.

First up, it’s a slow start. The first few days at Cowries are a bit of a dud – messy onshore or cross-shore winds and small, weak waves. Don’t rush to get wet until later in the week. The real action builds from Friday morning, and the best of the bunch comes in the first week of August.

Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd are for the birds. Tuesday morning has a light cross-shore, but the swell is only 4ft from the ENE with a short period, and the combined energy is weak (392). It’s a mess. Wednesday sees a slight improvement with cleaner conditions, but the swell drops to 3ft and the energy is low (204). Not worth the wax.

Thursday 23rd is a no-go – strong offshore winds will blow the tiny 3ft swell flat. Same for Friday morning 24th? No, hold up. Friday morning the 24th is where we get a sniff of something decent. A clean offshore wind from the WSW, and a 5ft south swell with a 9-second period. The energy is moderate (343). It’s a clean, fun little wave. Not a standout, but a good start to the weekend.

Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th keep the good vibes rolling. Saturday morning has a cross-offshore breeze and a solid 5ft south swell (480 energy). Clean, a little punchy. Sunday gets even better with a glassy, offshore wind and a 4ft south swell. It’s clean, but the energy is moderate (312). Actually, I’d say Saturday morning 25th is the pick of this little run: light wind, clean, and the swell has a bit of grunt.

Monday 27th is a one-hit wonder. Glassy conditions in the morning on a 3ft south swell, but it’s weak and ordinary. Then it’s a long flat spell.

From Tuesday 28th right through to Wednesday 29th afternoon, it’s a desert. Tiny, weak, and blown out. The surf is essentially dead until the 29th afternoon, when a very long-period 21-second south swell pushes in. That’s a proper groundswell, but it’s only 2ft. The energy is moderate (422). It’ll be a clean, gentle offshore wind, but it’s a fickle one – expect long lulls and a few clean, glassy walls. Only for the patient.

Thursday 30th is a mixed bag, and Friday 31st morning sees a clean 4ft south swell with a 9-second period and a gentle offshore. The energy is moderate (469). It’s good, but not the best.

Now for the real standout: Saturday 1st August. This is the one. The morning has a light cross-offshore wind, but the swell jumps to 6ft from the south with a 12-second period. The combined energy is strong (901). This is a proper, powerful south groundswell. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no wetsuit drama. The wave will be solid, clean, and offering some proper walls. This is the best on offer in the entire 16 days. It’s for the experienced crowd – anything over 5ft starts to get a bit much for beginners, and this is right on that edge. Crowds are possible at Cowries, so get there early.

Sunday 2nd August is a write-off with onshore winds and choppy mess. Monday 3rd August morning has a clean offshore wind, but the swell is a small 3ft from the SSE, albeit with a very long 17-second period. The energy is high (729), but it’s a tiny wave with a long period – it’ll break very straight and be tricky for beach breaks. At Cowries, a reef and point, it might offer some clean, long walls. It’s a fickle, expert-only wave that day.

Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th August are the final decent days. Clean offshore winds and a solid 3-5ft SSE swell. The energy is moderate (304-390). Good, clean, fun waves, but nothing to rival that Saturday 1st August session.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a slow build. Friday 24th to Sunday 26th July is a good run of clean, fun waves. The absolute standout is Saturday morning 1st August – a solid, powerful south swell with clean winds. The second week has a few clean, fickle groundswell days, but nothing that matches the 1st.

Rusty out.

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