Sandy Hook/The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s lining up at Sandy Hook/The Cove. Honestly, looking at the whole 16-day window, it’s a pretty flat spell for this spot. The swell stays tiny and weak, and the energy just never gets going. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real surf to talk about is on Wednesday, August 12th, but it’s not worth getting excited about. We’re looking at a tiny 0.3ft swell from the southeast with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy is only 4 – that’s weak. The morning is glassy, which is nice, but with almost no waves, it’s a hard pass unless you’re desperate for a paddle.

Thursday the 13th sees a bump to 1ft from the south in the morning, with a super short period of 4 seconds, so it’s weak and messy. Combined energy is still just 6. Afternoon drops back to 0.3ft. The wind is light, but the wave quality is just poor.

Friday the 14th through the 16th stays flat with the same tiny 0.3ft to 1ft swell. The wind picks up on the weekend, with some strong cross-offshore breezes, but the wave energy is basically zero. The combined energy on Sunday the 16th hits 11, but it’s still just poor surf conditions.

The second week, from the 17th of August onward, the swell tries to bump up a little. Monday the 17th morning sees 1ft from the SSE with a period of 7 seconds, and combined energy climbs to 23 – still very weak. The wind is cross-shore, so it’s not clean. Towards the end of the week, on Friday the 21st, there’s a 0.3ft swell with a long period of 15 seconds, but that’s a groundswell with no size. The combined energy is only 8. That long period at a beach and reef setup like this can mean the waves break too straight, so it’s not a standout.

The best chance in the whole run is probably the morning of Sunday the 23rd of August. There’s a tiny 0.3ft swell from the SE with a 12-second period, and the wind is light cross-offshore, keeping it clean. Combined energy is just 12, so it’s weak, but the conditions are tidy. It’s not a standout for waves, but for a glassy morning with a bit of energy, it’s the best you’ll get.

Overall, this is a lean stretch. The combined energy values never break into the moderate range, topping out at 55 on the 24th, but even then the swell is only 1ft and the wind is onshore. There’s nothing here for beginners or experts – the swell never gets anywhere near 5ft. It’s almost worth noting that with such small, weak swell and some strong winds, this setup might look more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on a few afternoons.

Rusty.

Read more