The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for The Cove over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – this is one of those outlooks where you might want to save your energy for something else.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a pretty grim start. The swell is tiny, and the wind is all over the place. For Tuesday the 18th of August, you’re looking at a weak 2ft swell from the north with a short period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy is barely registering at 43. The water temp is sitting at about 57°, which is bang on average for this time of year – nothing unusual there. But with rain showers and a strong cross-off breeze, it’s not inviting at all. Honestly, it’s a write-off.

Things don’t really improve for a good stretch. Wednesday the 19th sees a bit more size – 5ft from the west, with a moderate combined energy of 496 – but the period is still short at 11 seconds, and the wind is a messy cross-shore with a chop. That carries through Thursday and into the weekend. We get a spike up to 6ft from the north on Thursday the 20th, but it’s onshore wind and short period again (7 seconds). That’s more of a messy, blown-out affair than anything you’d want to paddle into. The combination of moderate wave energy (375-331) and onshore wind means it’s a pass.

Friday the 21st through Sunday the 23rd stays in that 5ft down to 2ft range, but the wind stays stubbornly cross-on from the northwest. The energy drops from 329 down to 90. There’s nothing to get excited about. The water temp anomaly is normal, but that’s about the only good thing I can say.

Now, there’s a little glimmer later on. Monday the 24th of August, we see a shift. The swell swings around to the west-northwest at 3ft, with a period of 11 seconds, and the combined energy bumps up to 259. Most importantly, the wind goes cross-off from the southeast at 15 mph. That’s clean. The surf quality is still only listed as marginal, but it’s the best-looking window in this whole forecast. The Cove is a reef break, exposed to swell, and the optimum direction is NW, so this WNW swell is a decent match. It’s a fairly consistent spot, so there’s a chance of a few fun ones. Keep in mind it can get crowded sometimes, so you might have some company. For a more experienced intermediate surfer, that Monday afternoon could offer a few clean, lined-up waves.

After that, it fades again. From Tuesday the 25th right through to the end of the forecast on September 2nd, the swell drops back to ankle-to-knee high junk. Energy readings are mostly below 100 – weak stuff. The wind stays cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but there’s just no power. The one standout that looks *weird* is Wednesday afternoon September 2nd: a tiny 1.0ft swell from the west-northwest with a ridiculously long period of 18 seconds. The combined energy is 125, which is moderate, but that period is so long it’ll barely break at a reef like this – you’d need a river mouth or a point. And with a strong breeze, it’s not worth the drive.

So, what’s the call? Monday the 24th of August is your best bet. The rest of the two weeks is a long, flat gap with no real recommendations. For The Cove, it’s just one of those quiet stretches. Hang tight, check the charts again Sunday night, and don’t bother waxing up until then.

Rusty.

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