Japs Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a tough stretch. We’ve got a sheltered little reef set-up at Japs Cove, and it’s an inconsistent spot that needs very specific conditions to line up. For the next 16 days, the swell is tiny and the wind is mostly getting in the way. The water is sitting at a very unusual 73°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, a good 7°F above the average, so you’ll be comfortable in a spring suit or less.

Right from the get-go, Wednesday afternoon, we’ve got a weak 1ft SW groundswell coming through with a 14-second period, so it’s got some decent energy in the water (92 combined energy), but that 12 mph cross-onshore wind from the west is just going to chop it up. It’s a no-go. Thursday and Friday are more of the same – tiny, messy, and poor.

The weekend of the 7th and 8th sees the swell barely bump up to 2ft, and the combined energy pushes into the moderate range (up to 211), but again, the wind is cross-onshore or onshore, keeping it choppy and uninviting. Saturday morning the 8th has a light cross-onshore which might leave a few small wind ripples, but it’s still not worth a paddle.

The following week doesn’t offer much relief. The swell stays small, between 1ft and 3ft, and the wind stays frustrating. By the 14th (Friday) and 15th (Saturday), the swell does creep up to 2ft and 3ft, and the combined energy gets strong, hitting 324 and 407. That’s real energy in the water, but it’s a very long period groundswell (16-19 seconds) which can make the reef at Japs Cove tricky and make the waves stand up too straight. The wind is still cross-onshore, so it’s going to be a bumpy, poor session. This is a setup that might actually be more interesting for kite surfing than a paddle board.

Now, there is one tiny window. On the morning of the 16th (Sunday), the stars almost align. We’ve got a 3ft SSW groundswell with a 16-second period, giving strong energy (353), and the wind goes glassy. That’s a big deal. That’s the only time in the whole forecast where you’ll find clean, glassy conditions. The waves will be surfable, but honestly, the commentary says it’s very ordinary, so temper your expectations. The rest of the 16th and the week after that is back to the same old story of onshore wind and small, weak surf.

So, the standout? It has to be the morning of the 16th. That’s your best bet. It’s a long way out, so don’t bank on it, but if the glassy wind holds, you might snag a few clean ones on the reef. Everything else is a write-off.

Rusty.

Read more