Cox Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a long look at the wave prospects ahead. Let’s get into it.

The whole sixteen-day window is a bit of a mixed bag for Cox Bay. There are plenty of days with clean conditions, but the swell energy is pretty inconsistent. We're looking at a lot of small, long-period groundswells that will make for some tidy little waves when the wind plays nice, but nothing that’s going to have the parking lot buzzing. The biggest issue is the lack of real size and power for the most part.

Water temp is sitting around 58°F, and that’s pretty much bang on the money for this time of year – nothing unusual there. For the first week, we’ve got a few windows of opportunity.

The pick of the first week comes on Wednesday afternoon, September 2nd. There’s a clean 5ft swell rolling in from the West with a moderate 10-second period. The combined swell energy is pretty solid (857), and with a light, clean cross-offshore breeze, that’s going to be the best session of this block. With 5ft, it’s still friendly for most competent surfers. A close runner-up is Thursday morning, September 3rd, with a similar 5ft swell from the West, but the wind is straight offshore from the WNW. The setup looks good but the energy is a touch less (735).

After that, things go quiet and small for a solid week. From Friday the 4th through to Tuesday the 10th, we’re dealing with ankle-to-knee-high stuff, mostly under 3ft. The wind is often light and clean or even glassy, so the quality is there for a longboard or a foiling session, but you’ll be scratching for push. There’s a gap of several days there with no real recommendation for a standard shortboard.

Thursday morning, September 10th is a standout for the pure beauty of it. The swell is tiny at 2ft, but it’s a long-period 17-second groundswell from the SW, and the wind is glass. The energy is moderate (543). It’s not going to be big, but it will be absolutely perfect, clean lines. For the patient soul, this is magic. Friday morning, September 11th repeats the formula – 3ft from the SW at 16 seconds and glassy conditions (535 energy). Another gem for the longboard.

The second week brings some proper size, but with some trade-offs. Wednesday afternoon, September 9th sees a 10ft swell from the WNW, but with a short 8-second period and wind from the WNW. That much size with that period will be a messy, closed-out mess at a beach break. That’s looking like a kite session, not a paddle session. Saturday afternoon, September 12th is similar – a big 10ft WNW swell, short period again (8 seconds), and cross-onshore winds. The energy is massive (1186), but the quality will be poor. For experts only, and even then, be prepared for a washing machine.

Tuesday morning, September 15th offers a final little moment of calm with a glassy 3ft WNW swell at 11 seconds. Good for a small, clean wave to round things out.

So, to sum it up: If you want a proper wave with some push but still clean, clear your schedule for Wednesday afternoon, September 2nd. If you’re a glider or love pristine, tiny waves, wait for the glassy mornings of September 10th or September 11th. The big stuff in the second week is too rough.

Rusty.

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