The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about The Cove. It’s a reef break that’s exposed to the swell and it’s been pretty consistent over the years, so we know it can turn on. But looking at this forecast window, it’s a long wait for the magic to happen.

Right now, through to the end of July, the story is not great. The swell is on the small side, running 4ft to 6ft, mostly from the NW and WNW, with periods of 8 seconds or less. That’s short-period, wind-driven stuff. The wind is constantly cross or cross-onshore, blowing at 12 to 22 mph, which is tearing up the surface. The water is sitting at 56°, which is about normal for this time of year. The wave energy is moderate, with combined energy readings between 100 and 300 (moderate), and it’s just not shaping up. A few sessions near the end of July, like the 24th and 25th, see the swell push up to 8ft, but that’s accompanied by a strong breeze and a messy cross-chop, so it’s not a clean paddle. The 26th offers a slight drop in wind and a 5ft swell, but it’s still cross-on, so at best it’s marginal.

Then we hit a gap. The period from the 27th of July into the first week of August is where things start to get interesting. The wind finally eases, with a light breeze or even glassy conditions. On the morning of the 28th, the wind drops to glassy, absolutely dead calm, with a 4ft WNW swell at 9 seconds. That’s a clean, long-period swell, and the wave energy is still moderate (260). The 29th and 30th are a bit messy again, but the 31st sees a 7ft W swell, with the wind turning light and cross. The wave energy picks up to 427 (moderate), and there’s a chance of a clean wall.

The real standout, the one you’re waiting for, comes on the 2nd of August. It’s a Sunday morning, and the wind is glassy, dead calm, with a 5ft swell from the WNW at 9 seconds. The wave energy is 350 (moderate). This is the best of the entire 16-day window. The water is still at that average temp, but with the offshore wind, the reef will be clean and lined up. The swell direction is a solid WNW, which is pretty much the optimum direction for this break. It’s not a huge swell, but it’s got the right period and the wind will be perfect. The crowd situation is ‘sometimes’ here, so it might get a few heads, but with conditions this good, it’s worth it.

For the days leading up to that, there’s the morning of the 27th, with a 6ft WNW swell and a light cross-off wind, which is clean. The wave energy is 473 (moderate). It’s a good session, but it’s not the standout.

So, to be blunt: the first week is a write-off. The surf is poor, the wind is wrong. You’re looking at the 27th of July as the first real chance for a decent paddle, and then you’ve got the 2nd of August as the absolute best bet. That’s a long gap, but it’s worth waiting for that glassy morning.

Rusty.

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