Cox Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cookin’ at Cox Bay.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the second half of the outlook is where the magic happens. The first few days are a tease, with small swell and dodgy wind, so don’t rush out just yet. The water is currently sitting at 60°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so a spring suit is your best bet.

Friday, August 28th through to Monday, August 31st is a write-off for a proper paddle. The swell is tiny, under 3 ft, and the wind is mostly onshore or cross. The energy is weak to moderate (125 to 543), and the wave quality is just not there. You’ll be fighting the wind for nothing.

Wednesday, September 2nd is when things start to look interesting. The morning brings a jump in swell to 6 ft from the W, with a moderate energy reading (984). The wind is cross-off and light, so the waves will be clean. This is a solid option for a Wednesday morning cruise, but with that size, it’s a bit much for the absolute beginners.

Thursday, September 3rd drops back to 3 ft and the wind goes onshore, so the quality takes a hit. Not your day.

Now, the real standout is Saturday, September 5th and Sunday, September 6th. This is the pick of the fortnight. We’re looking at a clean 3 ft swell from the SSW, with a long period of 17 seconds on Saturday and 16 seconds on Sunday. That’s proper groundswell. The wind is glassy in the mornings – absolutely perfect. Energy is strong (550 to 545). This is the kind of morning you’ll be telling your mates about. The long period will make the waves at Cox Bay peel nicely, especially on the point, and the paddling out will be easy between sets. The only thing to note is that the long period might make it a bit straight at the beach section, but the point should handle it beautifully. If you can only pick one session, make it Saturday morning.

Monday, September 7th through Tuesday, September 8th gets blown out again with strong onshore winds. The swell is messy, and the energy is moderate. No good.

Wednesday, September 9th sees a return to clean conditions. The morning has a light cross-off breeze and a 2 ft SSW swell. The afternoon session is glassy with a 3 ft WNW swell. This is a great, mellow day for a longboard or a funboard. The energy is solid (477), and with the wind dying off, it’ll be a beautiful afternoon.

The tail end of the outlook, from Thursday, September 10th to Saturday, September 12th, has a few more clean windows. Saturday, September 12th is another glassy morning with a 3 ft SSW swell and strong energy (468). A great way to end the forecast period.

So, to sum it up: the first few days are a bust. The true standouts are Saturday, September 5th and Sunday, September 6th for the glassy, long-period groundswell. Wednesday, September 9th is a close second for a clean, smaller day. Don’t sleep on the glassy mornings.

Rusty.

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