The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for The Cove.

The next couple of weeks are a mixed bag, to be honest. We’ve got a solid pulse of swell on the way, but the wind is going to be the main character in this story for a lot of it. The ocean is going to be moving, but getting clean, rideable waves is going to take some patience.

The standout window, and really the only time I’d be getting excited, is shaping up for the weekend of the 16th and 17th of August. We’ve got a strong, consistent swell from the W-NW filling in, with moderate wave energy (799) on the Saturday morning. The swell is pushing 8 ft from the west, with a 9-second period – that’s a decent, powerful groundswell. The wind is a cross-off 19 mph from the WSW, which is going to keep the faces clean. This is the pick of the entire forecast. The swell direction is bang on the optimum for The Cove, so expect it to wrap in nicely. It’s a fairly consistent reef break, so there will be waves. Just keep in mind there’s a moderate chance of crowds, and this size (8 ft) is pushing into intermediate territory – it’ll be a bit much for beginners.

Before that window, the swell is pumping, but the wind is a mess. The weekend of the 8th and 9th sees a solid 7 ft to 8 ft W swell, with strong wave energy (738-1005). But the wind is a fresh cross-off, which is okay, but the forecast scores are low. Monday the 10th turns into a cross-on mess, and the surf quality drops right off. The entire week from the 10th to the 14th is basically a write-off for good surf at The Cove – the energy drops, the wind swings onshore, or the period gets too short. For a few days from the 12th, it’ll be tiny and weak.

The water temperature is sitting at 56°, which is pretty much bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

Looking further out, the second weekend (the 22nd and 23rd of August) is a total gamble. The 22nd has a 8 ft W swell with strong wave energy (1046), but the wind is a strong, fresh cross-on from the NNW, making it lumpy and messy. This is one for the experts only, and the conditions will be absolutely horrible. It’s a big, powerful swell, but the wind is going to ruin it. I’d be looking for a different spot that day, or maybe just checking the kite setup – that raw energy with the strong cross-shore wind could be more interesting for the kite crew than paddle surfing.

So, to wrap it up: the whole 16-day window is a story of a lot of wind and some solid swell. The one true standout is the morning of Saturday the 16th of August. The Sunday morning on the 17th also has a clean 8 ft swell with cross-off wind, but it’s a little less energy. If you can only get out once, target that Saturday. The rest of the time, you’ll be fighting the wind more than the wave.

Rusty.

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