The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with the lowdown on The Cove for the next couple weeks. It’s a slow start, one solid window, and then a fade-out.

First things first – this is a reef break for advanced surfers only. Don’t even think about it unless you’ve got the skills. Water temp is 80°F, right about average for the season.

We’re in a quiet patch right now. The first session worth mentioning is Wednesday afternoon, September 2nd. Small 3-foot south swell, 16-second period, combined energy (420) – moderate. Light cross-off wind at 6 mph from the ENE. It’s clean, but nothing special.

Thursday (Sept 3rd) and Friday (Sept 4th) are average. Swell bumps to 4 feet but the wind gets a bit pushy. Friday morning has a nice 3-foot south swell with an offshore 9 mph NE wind – clean and rideable.

Now pay attention: Saturday September 5th through Monday September 7th is the go.

Saturday morning (Sept 5th): clear skies, glassy 3 mph NNE breeze, 4-foot swell from the SSW, 12-second period, energy (598). Clean, lined-up. Saturday afternoon holds at 5 feet, still offshore, energy (660).

Sunday September 6th morning is the real gem. Glassy conditions – barely a breath from the NW at 3 mph – and the swell hits 6 feet from the SSW, 12-second period. Energy (769). This is clean, powerful reef surf. Afternoon stays at 6 feet with a slight cross-off, energy (1149).

The absolute best is Monday September 7th. Morning: 5-foot SW swell, 13-second period, glassy offshore NNE wind at 3 mph, energy cranking at (1623). Powerful, clean, heavy. Afternoon goes to 6 feet, 14-second period, energy (2015). This is top-tier, expert-only surf. Swell direction (SW) is close to the ideal west for this spot. Crowds are only *sometimes* a problem – you might have a few friends out, but it’s not a lineup showdown.

After that, Tuesday September 8th is a mess. Morning swell hits 13 feet from the SW with a cross-on 19 mph south wind – (10754) energy, total chaos. Unsurfable, maybe kiteable. Afternoon drops to 7 feet but still onshore and lumpy.

From Wednesday September 9th, size drops and quality gets spotty. A clean-up on Wednesday afternoon (Sept 9th) with 3-foot swell and glassy conditions, then again on Thursday afternoon (Sept 10th) with tiny 2-foot swell but a super-long 18-second period and offshore breeze.

The second week (Sept 11th to 17th) is quiet. Swell hangs around 2 to 3 feet, mostly from the SSW. Period stays long (14-24 seconds), so it’s all groundswell dribble. Winds are light and often glassy or offshore – clean but small. Energy values are 107 to 635, so it’s weak. The morning of Tuesday Sept 15th and the afternoon of Wednesday Sept 17th are the least bad – clean and 2-3 feet.

Summary: The best surfing is on Sunday September 6th (glassy, 6 feet) and Monday September 7th (5-6 feet, clean, powerful). That’s your window. The rest is either too small, too messy, or too big and blown. This is an advanced reef, so don’t get in over your head.

Rusty.

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