Coxos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at charts for this stretch for a while now. Let me tell you, the next 16 days are a real mixed bag for Coxos (reef). There’s some serious potential hiding in the second week, but you’ll have to be patient and pick your moments.

The first week is honestly a write-off for quality waves. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf conditions from the start through to Friday, 14 August. The swell is small and weak – combined energy values in the low hundreds (95 to 345) – with cross-onshore winds and choppy, lumpy conditions. The water temperature is sitting at 21°C, which is about normal for this time of year, nothing to get excited about. There’s a gap of several days with no recommendations, and it’s a real slog.

Things start to show a pulse Saturday, 15 August, but it’s still marginal. The swell picks up a little into the 5 ft range from the NNW, but the wind is still cross-onshore or onshore, so it’s messy and questionable. The energy is climbing into the mid-400s (454 to 474), but it’s not clean enough to get excited about.

Then we get to the standout. Sunday, 16 August, is where it’s at. The morning is an absolute beauty – clear skies, a light offshore breeze from the southeast at 10 km/h, and a 7 ft NNW swell with a 9-second period. That’s going to be clean, lined up, and holding plenty of energy (603). This is the best on offer, no question. Coxos is an exposed reef, and with that swell direction bang on the optimum (NNW), it’s going to be firing. This is for advanced surfers only – 7 ft is a solid step up, and the reef can be unforgiving. The afternoon freshens up from the southwest, so lock in the morning session.

But wait, there’s more. Monday, 17 August, morning also looks promising – clear skies, a light cross-offshore breeze from the south at 10 km/h, and a 6 ft NNW swell, also with good energy (551). That’s another clean, quality session, but the wind is just a touch more side-shore. Still, a solid option.

Tuesday, 18 August, morning is interesting. The wind goes glassy – a 5 km/h breeze from the north-northeast – and the swell is 5 ft from the NNW. That’s a clean, glassy morning with moderate energy (336). It’s a good, calmer session for those who want to avoid the bigger days.

After that, we get a bit of a lull again, with small, messy swells and cross-winds through the middle of the week. The energy drops back into the low 100s. Then, looking further out, Friday, 21 August, has a bit of a pulse – 7 ft from the NNW, but with cross-shore winds and only marginal conditions. The energy is strong (525), but it’s not as clean.

Now, for the long-range standout. Tuesday, 25 August, morning is one to circle on the calendar. It’s glassy, with a light southerly breeze, and a 3 ft WNW swell with a very long, juicy 15-second period. That’s a groundswell, and it’s going to have serious shape and power for its size. The energy is surprisingly high (554) for the height. This is a classy little session, but that long period can make it break a bit straight at some spots – on a reef like Coxos, it should be a treat. The afternoon gets messy again, with a bigger 8 ft NNW swell and cross-onshore wind, but that’s a different beast.

So, bottom line: the best surf is on Sunday, 16 August, morning – clear skies, clean 7 ft NNW swell, light offshore. That’s your standout. Monday, 17 August, morning, and Tuesday, 25 August, morning, are also excellent calls. Be patient through the first week of poor conditions, and you’ll be rewarded.

Rusty.

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