Cox Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

We’re kicking off the forecast period with some small, high-period groundswell at Cox Bay. The water temperature is sitting at 58°, which is just about normal for this time of year, so don’t expect any surprises there. Right off the bat, there’s a bit of a slow start on the 2nd with a swelly 5 ft from the west, but the energy is moderate (540) and the wind is a cross-off, so it’s not all bad if you’re desperate for a paddle.

Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th are quiet days, with wave heights dropping right down to around 2 ft to 2 ft, but here’s the thing – the morning of Friday the 4th sees a super long period of 19 seconds from the SSW. That’s proper groundswell energy (475), and with a clean, slight air, the wave shapes could be surprisingly fun on a point break like this, even if tiny. The standout, though, is the afternoon of Friday the 4th – 2 ft, SSW, with a period of 18 seconds, and absolutely glassy conditions. That’s your pick for the first weekend; it’ll be clean and lined up, but keep an eye on the tide, as some of those sets might break a bit straight given such a long period.

Moving through Saturday the 5th, the morning is glassy again with a 3 ft swell from the SSW and a 18-second period – more of the same great shape but small. The wind goes onshore by the afternoon, so get out early. Sunday the 6th holds glassy conditions in the morning too, with 3 ft and 16 seconds, but the energy is dropping a bit (450). After that, the surf goes real quiet from Sunday afternoon right through most of the following week, with nothing above 2 ft and mostly onshore or cross-onshore winds. That’s a big gap of several days with no real recommendations until Thursday the 10th.

Thursday the 10th looks interesting. The morning shows a 6 ft swell from the WNW, but the period is only 7 seconds – that’s windswell, not groundswell. The energy is moderate to strong (830) and it’s clean due to cross-off wind, so it will be lumpy and a bit disorganised but rideable. The real standout of the entire forecast might be the morning of Saturday the 12th. We’ve got 3 ft from the SW with a 15-second period, clean as a whistle, and the combined energy is high (932), which is surprising for such a small height – it means the power is really concentrated. If you want a wave that feels bigger than it looks, that’s your slot.

After that, the swell builds again. Monday morning the 14th has 5 ft, 10 seconds from the west, glassy – that’s a really good call for a session. The energy is solid (705). Tuesday the 15th is similar, with 4 ft from the west and an 11-second period, glassy in the morning again. These two mornings are your classic, clean options with decent groundswell.

Look at the afternoon of Wednesday the 16th – 8 ft from the WNW, 7-second period, and glassy. That’s a big, powerful windswell (753), and it’s clean, but 8 ft on a beach and point break with that short period will be a handful. This one is strictly for experts; beginners should stay out of the water. The break might look more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing given the size and short period.

And the morning of Thursday the 17th holds 6 ft from the WNW, glassy – that’s a decent one to close out the run.

So if you’re going to pick a standout, I’d say Friday 4th afternoon for those tiny, glassy, long-period waves, or the morning of Saturday 12th for the deceptive power in the small swell. The morning of Monday the 14th is also a solid, clean option with proper size. The big stuff on the 16th is for the brave only. Watch for crowds here – Cox Bay gets busy, especially on weekends and when the conditions clean up.

Rusty.

Read more