The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about The Cove in the units you’d feel on your board.

Water temp is about 80°, so totally normal for the season.

We’re starting small. Saturday morning the 22nd, The Cove is running 2ft of swell from the SSW, with a 15-second period. The wind is glassy, dead calm from the north, so it’ll look clean, but the energy is weak (233). This is a tricky, advanced reef break that doesn’t break often, so don’t get your hopes up for much.

The quality picks up a little through the week. Tuesday afternoon the 25th, the wind turns offshore from the NE, and the swell holds at 2ft from the SSW, but the energy is building (296). Still small. The real standout window hits Wednesday the 26th. The morning is clean with a light offshore breeze, 2ft of SSW swell, and the energy is climbing (368). By Wednesday afternoon, we get 2ft at 17 seconds, and the energy jumps to 551. The wind is a gentle offshore from the NNE – it’s going to be clean and lined up.

But the best of the whole run is Thursday morning the 27th. We’ve got 3ft of SSW swell, a 16-second period, and the wind is a light offshore from the NNE. The combined energy hits 844 – that’s the best we’ll see. The waves will have some push, the sets will be spaced out, and the shape on that reef should be proper. The crowds are *sometimes* a thing here, so you might have a few others out, but for a spot this inconsistent, it’s worth the look. That’s the pick of the entire forecast.

After that, it drops off. Friday and Saturday go back to 2ft to 2ft, still clean, but the energy fades. Then we hit a gap. The start of September looks promising again, with Tuesday the 1st showing 3ft from the S with a 19-second period – that’s a long period groundswell. The wind is glassy in the morning, and the energy is solid (569). Wednesday the 2nd is similar, with 3ft from the S and a 17-second period (496), clean in the morning. These are good, but a week away, so keep an eye on it.

Then it gets ugly. By Thursday the 3rd, we’ve got a risk of thunderstorms and cross-onshore wind, making it poor. The real no-go is the weekend of the 5th and 6th of September. The wind is going to howl – 28 mph on Saturday, 47 mph on Sunday – both offshore, but that’s gale force. You’d be crazy to go out. The swell is only 2ft to 2ft, but with that wind, it’s a kite session, not a paddle session.

So, the big winner: Thursday morning, the 27th of August. Small but clean, with the best energy of the period. If you’re keen, that’s your window.

Rusty.

Read more