The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' over the next couple of weeks for The Cove.

Honestly, it’s a rough start. We’re looking at a solid block of flat, useless conditions for the first week. From now through to about September 16th, there’s barely a ripple worth paddling for. The swell is tiny – we’re talking 0.7 ft at best – and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, messing up any chance of a clean wave. It’s a total write-off.

Finally, around Wednesday the 16th, things start to get interesting, but not in a good way for paddle surfing. The swell jumps up to 5 ft from the NNE, but the wind is a strong, onshore 15-16 mph from the NE and ENE. The combined energy hits moderate levels (235-279), but with that wind, it’s going to be a choppy, blown-out mess. This is looking more like a kite-surfing zone than a spot for a clean ride. This messy, cross-onshore wind pattern hangs around for days.

September 19th (Saturday) offers a tiny glimmer. The swell drops to 3 ft from the NE, and for the morning, we get a clean, cross-offshore breeze from the NNW. The energy is weak (78). It’s not going to be epic, but it’ll be the cleanest the waves have looked all week.

We then get another flat spell until around September 22nd. On the morning of Tuesday the 22nd, a new pulse of swell arrives: 2 ft from the NNE with a 9-second period, and light cross-shore winds. The energy is moderate (106). This is the first real hint of something better. The following morning, Wednesday the 23rd, is similar with a 4 ft NE swell and light cross-shore breeze, making for workable conditions.

The last few days of the forecast period, from the 24th of September into the weekend, see a building trend. The swell climbs from 4 ft to 6 ft from the NE and E, with combined energy getting strong, hitting 420 on the 26th. But the wind stays a persistent, moderate to fresh cross-onshore from the NE. The periods are short, between 6 and 8 seconds, so it will be a short, chunky wind-swell. It’s not the cleanest, but for a surfer just wanting to get wet and battle some chop, there’s more size and power here than anything else on offer. For the experts, that 6-6 ft on the 26th will be the most powerful, but expect rough conditions.

The one standout window, if you can call it that, is Wednesday the 23rd of September. The swell is a solid 4 ft from the NE, the wind is light and cross-shore, and the energy is moderate (168). It’s not perfect, but compared to everything else, it’s the most rideable and least messy session in the whole 16-day stretch.

Rusty.

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