Smugglers Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what Smugglers Cove has on offer for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be honest with you – it’s a rough patch ahead.

Right off on Saturday the 25th, it’s not happening. Tiny swell, 0.5m to 0.8m from the SW, and a cross-on wind from the south and south-southwest blowing at 12-13 mph. Combined wave energy gets up to 394 in the morning and 736 in the afternoon, but period is long and messy, with poor surf conditions. Water temp is 56°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year.

Sunday the 26th stays poor in the morning. The afternoon is still small (0.9m, SW), period at 19 seconds, and wind eases to 6 mph cross-on. The report says marginal, so it’s nothing to call home about. Monday the 27th through the end of July is all zeros and ones – 0.6m to 0.8m, cross or cross-on wind, and no quality.

There’s a gap of several days without any real recommendation. The whole first week is a bust. As we turn into August, Saturday the 1st shows a tiny pulse from the WNW – 0.9m but just 8 seconds – still no good. By Sunday the 2nd afternoon, wind shifts to cross-off from the north at 19 mph, swell bumps to 1.1m, period 10 seconds, and they’re calling it clean, but the wave comment still says poor surf conditions.

Monday the 3rd of August, the swell starts building – 1.2m, then 1.3m, even 1.4m by Tuesday the 4th afternoon. Wind stays cross to cross-off from the NNW at 13-16 mph. Combined energy climbs to between 209 and 317, but periods are short – 7 to 8 seconds. All short period windswell with no shape. Even on clean afternoons on the 4th and 5th, surf quality is still poor – not worth paddling out.

Into the second week, the 6th and 7th of August, nothing improves – 1.2m to 1.4m, short period, cross wind. Still poor. By Saturday the 8th afternoon, the swell drops to 0.3m, period jumps to 19 seconds, and energy fades to 143. Sunday the 9th is just 0.4m of weak, long-period west swell with cross wind. That’s all she wrote.

No standouts in this entire forecast. Everything is marginal to poor. The break suits beginners, it’s fairly consistent, and best swell direction is from the west – but we’re just not getting the right combo. Crowds can be a thing when it’s good, but with conditions like these, it’ll be quiet. For this area, a blank run like this is more normal than you’d hope. Forecasts can change, but right now it’s a skip.

Stay tuned. Rusty.

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