Cowries Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's get stuck into what's coming up for our little patch.

Alright, look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, and we're gonna have to be patient. The forecast is calling for a long stretch of pretty ordinary, small surf to start with. The first real glimmer of something worth getting excited about is still a ways off, so don't rush to dig the wetsuit out just yet.

The first day we see anything surfable is Sunday, August 30th, but it's a tough one. We've got a small 3ft south swell pushing through, but the wind is howling cross-on from the east at 6 mph. The water is a fresh 64°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there. The combined energy is weak at 172, and the report says it's poor surf conditions. Not worth paddling out for.

Monday, August 31st offers a tiny window. The morning is glassy, with the wind dropping to next to nothing from the ESE. The swell is still a weak 3ft from the south, and the energy is still low at 172. It's surfable, but very ordinary. The afternoon gets messy again as the wind picks up.

From there, it's a real grind. We go through the whole first week of September with tiny, weak swell. Wednesday, September 2nd and Thursday, September 3rd have a bit of offshore wind from the west, but the swell is only 2ft to 2ft with a combined energy of 106 or less. It's clean, but there's just nothing to ride. The rest of that week is a blur of small, choppy, or onshore conditions.

The second week doesn't start much better. Saturday, September 6th sees a bump in swell to 5ft from the south, and the energy jumps to a moderate 304. But the wind is cross-shore from the SSE, making it a messy, marginal call. It's a tease if anything.

Now, the one that has my attention is Friday, September 11th. The early morning session is looking like a proper stand-out for the whole period. A solid 8ft south swell is forecast to roll in, with combined energy shooting up to a massive 1952. That's some serious power. The wind is a light cross-on from the NNE at 6 mph, which is okay but not perfect. At 8ft, this is strictly for the experienced crew; beginners should definitely sit this one out. It's a long way off, so take it with a grain of salt, but if this holds, it'll be the most significant surf we've seen in a fortnight.

Saturday, September 12th cleans up a bit. The swell drops to 3ft from the south, but we get a cross-off wind from the NW and a long period of 12 seconds. The energy is still solid at 303. It'll be cleaner than Friday, but smaller.

After that, the last few days of the 16-day window look like they fade back into small, poor conditions again. So, if you're a beginner, there's nothing really in the window for you. For the rest of us, the only real shot at something decent is that Friday the 11th. The rest of the time, the wind and swell just aren't lining up. The good news is that Cowries is a fairly consistent spot, so a blank run like this isn't the norm. Forecasts can change, so keep your eyes peeled.

Stay frothy,
Rusty.

Read more