Cowries Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s brewing for Cowries. This is a reef and point break, so it’s got some shape to it, and it’s fairly exposed to the swell. The water temp is sitting about average for the time of year, nothing too wild.

The pattern kicks off with a bit of a slow start. Sunday the 2nd sees some chest-high swell around 5ft, coming from the SE with a 12-second period, and the combined energy is moderate at 802. The problem is the wind: a moderate cross-onshore in the afternoon chops it up proper, so it’s not a day to get excited about. Monday the 3rd drops right off, tiny knee-high stuff, and it’s not really worth the paddle. Tuesday the 4th is flat as a tack, just 0.7ft, so you’re looking at a few days of nothing.

The first real glimmer comes Wednesday afternoon the 5th. The wind swings offshore from the WSW, light at 6 mph, and the swell pushes up to 5ft from the south with a 7-second period. The combined energy is moderate (331), and it’s clean. It’s not a standout, but it’s a start.

Thursday the 6th morning is glassy – dead calm, 3 mph from the WSW, with 5ft of south swell. The energy is light (260), but the clean conditions make it a pleasant session for the patient.

Now, the first real standout is Friday the 7th. The morning has 6ft of south swell at 9 seconds, with a light cross-offshore breeze (6 mph from the SSW). The energy is moderate (483) and the conditions are clean. The afternoon bumps up to 7ft, though the period drops to 8 seconds and the wind picks up to 12 mph, making it a bit bumpy. Still, the morning window is the best of the week so far.

Saturday the 8th is a bit of a letdown – 5ft to 6ft, but the wind is messy and the energy is only moderate. Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th are poor, with onshore winds and small, choppy waves.

The next big highlight is Tuesday the 11th afternoon. The wind drops to zero, right on glassy, and the swell is 4ft from the ESE with a 11-second period. The combined energy is moderate (378), and conditions are clean. That’s a solid session for a point break.

Wednesday the 12th is okay but the wind turns onshore in the afternoon, so it’s not worth it.

Then we get a big spike. Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th see a massive jump in swell – 10ft to 12ft from the south, with 8 to 10 seconds. The energy is strong (1635 to 4622). But here’s the thing: the guidance says this swell is too big for Cowries. It’s a reef and point, but 12ft with a short period sends a lot of close-out freight trains through. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s a handful. The wind is cross-offshore and clean, but the size rules out most of us.

The best of the whole run, in my opinion, is Saturday the 15th morning. The swell drops to a very manageable 7ft from the SSE, 10-second period, with a gentle cross-offshore breeze (9 mph from the SSW). The energy is moderate (829) and the forecast is “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s the one to circle on the calendar. Sunday the 16th morning is also glassy, with 4ft of south swell, and Monday the 17th morning is glassy again with 5ft. Clean, small, fun waves.

So, overall: the first week is a mix of small and a few clean windows. The standout is Friday the 7th morning and Saturday the 15th morning. The big swell mid-month is for experts only. Crowds are possible at Cowries, so get there early for the good ones.

Rusty.

Read more