The Cove Cape May Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it for The Cove Cape May.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – this 16-day window is a tough one. We’re staring down a long stretch of small, weak, and messy surf. The first real chance to even think about a paddle isn’t until Monday the 14th, and even then, it’s marginal. For the first week and a half, we’re looking at a whole lot of nothing. The good news is that the spot is fairly consistent, so it’s not unusual for the area to have a flat spell like this, but it’s a real bummer right now.

Looking at the whole period, the only day that could be considered a standout is Tuesday the 22nd. I know it’s a long way off, but it’s the only pulse of energy with any real push. The other days are just ankle-biters.

Let’s break it down. The first few days are a total write-off. We’ve got a tiny 1 ft swell from the E on the 7th with a period of 10 seconds, weak wave energy (33), and a southerly wind ruining it. It’s just poor. We go through a whole string of these small, onshore or cross-onshore, short-period wind swells right through to the 13th. The swell never gets above 4 ft, and the combined energy is mostly in the teens or 30s, which is weak. The wind is almost always wrong.

The one bright spot in the first week is Monday the 14th. The morning shows glassy conditions with the wind dropping to 0 mph. The swell is still tiny at 1 ft from the ESE with a period of 9 seconds, and the energy is weak (32), but for a longboard or a big foamie, that glassy morning would be a beautiful, clean session. It’s about the only time the wind cooperates.

We then go through another patch of small, choppy surf from the 15th to the 20th. The 18th has a clean offshore wind from the N, but the swell is a pathetic 2 ft from the S with a period of 4 seconds. It’s clean, but it’s barely a ripple.

Now, for the one true standout. Tuesday, September 22nd. That afternoon, the ENE swell hits 3 ft with a period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to a moderate 126. It’s still a short-period swell, so it’ll be a bit crumbly, but it’s the biggest and most energetic swell of the whole forecast. The wind is onshore from the S at 12 mph, which is a shame, but the size is real. The Cove is a point break, so it can handle a bit of wind better than a beach break, and the swell direction is from the ENE, which is not the optimum SE, but it’s close enough to push some waves in. This is really the only time the water’s got any push for a proper shortboard. The water temp is a toasty 77°F, which is a whopping 5°F warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a wetsuit.

Honestly, if you’re desperate for a surf, paddle out on the 14th in the morning for a glassy longboard session. But if you want any real power, you’re waiting for the 22nd. It’s a long wait.

Rusty.

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