Cowries Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water temp is sitting about average for this time of year – nothing wild there.

We’re looking at a pretty quiet start. The first real chance to get wet comes on Wednesday the 9th. Cowries will have a 2.6 ft swell from the S, with a short 8-second period, and a cross-off SSW wind at 16 mph. The combined energy is only moderate (133), and the surf quality is poor, so it’s not exactly a day to get excited about. It stays clean, but the waves are weak and messy.

Thursday the 10th sees a bump in size – 8.2 ft from the S on the morning, period still short at 9 seconds. The wind is cross-off from the SSW at 12 mph, keeping it clean, but the energy reading jumps up to strong (2172). The problem is the swell is over 8 ft, so this is really only for the experienced crew. The conditions are still marginal, so don’t expect perfection.

Friday the 11th morning is a standout. The swell drops to a more manageable 5.2 ft from the SSE, with a 9-second period, and the wind is a light 6 mph cross-off from the S. The combined energy is moderate (457), and the forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the best window in the whole run – clean, a decent size, and not too crowded if you time it right. The long period (11 seconds) on Saturday the 12th would be a plus, but the wind turns onshore, so it’s a no-go.

After Friday, the surf drops off fast. From Saturday the 12th all the way through to Sunday the 20th, the waves are tiny – mostly under 3 ft – and the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, making for choppy, poor conditions. There’s a gap of over a week with nothing worth paddling out for. The only blip is a glassy morning on Sunday the 20th with 2 ft from the S, but it’s very ordinary.

Then, on Monday the 21st, we get a late pulse: 7.5 ft from the SSE, with a 10-second period and a light cross-onshore NNE breeze. The energy is strong (1006), but the conditions are marginal and the wind is not ideal. It’s a big, raw swell for the experienced only.

The best surf on offer is Friday the 11th morning at Cowries. It’s the only day that really ticks the boxes for decent size, clean conditions, and good vibes. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or too big for the average punter.

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