The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Look, it ain't gonna be a full-on scorcher, but there's a run of clean, rideable waves on the card if you're patient. The main game here is The Cove, a reef set-up that needs the right direction to really show its teeth.

The water's sittin' at 79°, which is pretty much the usual for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We kick off on Friday the 10th. It's tiny, ankle to knee-high at best with a tiny 2ft south swell. The period's a moderate 12 seconds, and the combined energy is weak at 148. The morning's a bit ordinary, but with a light offshore, it's at least rideable. Friday afternoon sees the wind pick up a bit, but it stays offshore. Not exactly pumpin', but you could snag a few if you're keen.

The weekend is where things start to look a little better. Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th see the swell bump up a touch to 2-2ft, and the period stretches out nicely. Saturday's got a 2ft SW groundswell with a long 18-second period, that's a lot of punch for the size, with combined energy climbin' to 309 (moderate). It's a solid, clean long-period groundswell. This kind of long period at a reef break is a good thing – those lines will hold up nicely. With light offshore winds and clean conditions, it'll be a fun little session. Sunday keeps a similar 2ft SW swell, period droppin' to 16 seconds, still plenty of quality. Mornin' looks best with light offshores and 319 combined energy.

Monday the 13th is a bit of a step back, smaller and a little weaker, but still clean. Tuesday the 14th the energy jumps significantly, with combined energy readings in the mid-400s, which is moderate. The swell direction swings west, and the period sits at 14-16 seconds. It's still a small 2-2ft wave, so it ain't gonna barrel, but the power is there for a clean, long wall.

Now, Wednesday the 15th is one of the standouts. The swell is still only 2ft from the west, but the combined energy is strong at 542. The magic is in the wind: glassy, with barely a breath of air. That means perfect, silky conditions at The Cove. This is your best bet early on – a small but incredibly clean day.

There's a bit of a lull with weaker energy days through the end of the week. Thursday the 16th has a decent afternoon wind, but the swell drops off. Friday the 17th afternoon sees things pick up again with a glassy spell and a 2ft SSW swell with strong energy at 395. Saturday the 18th morning is another glassy, clean morning with a 3ft SSW swell, but the period is short at 10 seconds, giving it less push.

We then hit a quiet patch from Sunday the 19th through to Wednesday the 22nd. It's small, weak, and while mostly clean, there's just not enough juice. Waves will be knee-high at best.

But then, around the 23rd and 24th of July, we get a late flurry. Thursday the 23rd has a 1ft swell but with a ludicrously long 21-second period from the SSW. Combined energy hits 318, so there's real power in those long lines. It'll be a clean, fun wave for a good logger, but that low height means it'll be very inconsistent. Friday the 24th looks like the real standout late in the run. A 3-3ft SSW groundswell with a 18-second period, combined energy surging to 597 – that's strong wave energy. Offshore winds will make it clean. Saturday the 25th holds similar 3ft swell with clean offshores. This is your second standout block, but it's 15 days away, so while it looks promising on the charts, it's a long-range call.

Overall, the best on offer is Wednesday the 15th for the glassy conditions on a moderate energy swell, with the late push on July 24th and 25th as the biggest, most powerful window to keep an eye on. The Cove is an inconsistent spot for advanced surfers, and you can expect a few others out there at times.

Rusty

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