Rincon - The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’re looking at a pretty long stretch of small, clean waves at Rincon - The Cove. The water is 70°F, which is way warmer than usual for this time of year, so that’s a nice surprise. Don’t expect any size, though. The pattern is small, long-period SSW groundswell for the whole 16 days, hanging around 1 ft to 2 ft. Periods are long, often 15-16 seconds, which means the energy is drawn out and the waves will be slow and lined up, but very small. Combined swell energy is mostly weak to moderate (155-278), so don’t plan your life around it.

The whole run starts from Tuesday, 18 August, with nothing much happening. Tuesday morning gives us 2 ft from the SSW at 16 seconds with a light cross-offshore breeze from the WSW at 6 mph. It’s clean but tiny. If you’re desperate for a paddle, you could get a few long rollers, but you won’t be threading any barrels. This same pattern carries through Wednesday and Thursday, with the swell dropping to 1 ft and the wind turning cross-shore, putting a light crinkle on the surface. By Friday the 21st, we’re down to 1 ft, with combined energy dropping to 74 – that’s as gutless as it gets.

The next week, from the 22nd to the 28th, is more of the same. Slight variations in size, but mostly 1 ft to 1 ft, with periods still in the 13-17 second range. The wind stays light and mostly cross-off or cross, so it’s clean but almost flat. The only standout in the whole period is the weekend of 29-30 August. On Saturday, 29 August, we get a tiny bump to 2 ft from the SSW, with a 16-second period and combined energy hitting 278. The wind is light cross-off from the WSW at 6 mph. Sunday the 30th holds 2 ft in the morning, easing in the afternoon. This is the best we’ve got, but it’s still only for the most committed longboarders or those who love groveling. The break is a point, so that long-period swell will wrap in nicely, but with such small size, it’s not going to be a classic Rincon day.

Honestly, for the entire 16 days, there’s no real standout. If you’re a beginner, the small size is safe, but it’s not exactly learning-friendly because the waves are so weak. Experienced surfers will be bored. The crowd profile at Rincon - The Cove is listed as “sometimes” busy, and on a tiny clean day, it’ll still see a few locals out. Don’t expect any power.

Rusty, signing off.

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