Cowries Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water’s sitting at 66°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – nothing wild, but you’ll notice it’s a little more comfortable than usual.

We’ve got a slow start. The first real action worth mentioning is Sunday morning the 26th of July at Cowries (reef and point). We’re looking at a solid 5 ft southerly swell with an 11-second period, giving us a decent amount of energy (598). The wind is light westerly at 3 mph and offshore, so it’ll be clean. This is a beginner-friendly wave, and with the offshore breeze, it’s a good one to get out for an easy session. The water’s that touch warmer, so it’s a nice one for a Sunday morning paddle. Crowds can be around sometimes, but nothing too hectic.

Now, the real standout for the confident crew comes in on Thursday morning the 30th of July. The swell jumps to 8 ft from the south, with an 11-second period and a massive energy reading of 2802. That’s a serious amount of power. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the SSW at 9 mph, keeping the surface clean. This is not for beginners – over 5 ft and definitely pushing into the expert-only zone at 8 ft. It’s a reef and point setup, so that long period groundswell will wrap in nicely. If you’ve got the skills, this is the best of the whole run.

After that, there’s a gradual drop-off. Friday the 31st stays similar at 8-8 ft, but the wind is a bit stronger cross-offshore, and the energy is still high (over 2000). Still good for experienced surfers, but the Thursday morning peak is the one to aim for.

The first week of August sees smaller, mixed conditions. Saturday the 1st of August has a 5 ft southerly swell in the morning, with light cross-offshore winds and moderate energy (663). It’s rideable but ordinary. Sunday the 2nd drops off further, and by Monday the 3rd we’re down to 3 ft – small and clean but nothing to write home about.

There’s a gap of pretty ordinary surf from the 4th to the 7th, with very small waves and poor conditions. Then, on Thursday morning the 6th of August, we get a bump: 6 ft from the south, with an 8-second period and 414 energy. The wind is offshore from the west at 6 mph, so it’s clean. Not a standout, but a fun little pulse for the midweek.

The second week gets a bit spicy again. Saturday the 8th of August afternoon sees a massive 12 ft southerly swell, but it’s flagged as too big for this break – the wind is also onshore, so it’s a mess. Then Monday morning the 10th of August has a huge 13 ft swell from the ESE with a very long 11-second period and a massive 4080 energy reading. The wind is glassy from the NNW at 3 mph – looks incredible for the experts, but again, it’s too big for Cowries. That’s a day for the big-wave chargers only, and likely better suited to a different break.

Overall, the best on offer is Thursday morning the 30th of July – that 8 ft south swell with clean cross-offshore wind is the clear winner. If you’re less experienced, Sunday morning the 26th of July is your best bet.

Rusty.

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