The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve been looking hard at the charts for The Cove. It’s a mixed bag, but there are a couple of windows that are worth dragging yourself out of bed for.

The first real chance comes on Monday, 27 July. The swell is building, with a 6ft west swell at 10 seconds, and the combined energy is a solid 1063 (moderate to strong). The morning session is the one to chase, with a fresh cross-offshore breeze from the WSW at 19 mph, keeping the faces clean. Water temp is about 56°, which is normal for this time of year. The Cove is a reef break, exposed to the NW, and that west swell will wrap in nicely for an intermediate surfer. The cross-off wind is what makes it work. It’s a standout for the period, but the period is moderate, so it’s a good, workable wave, not a barrel. Crowds are sometimes an issue, so expect company.

Monday afternoon drops off, with a smaller 4ft cross-shore swell and poor conditions, so the morning is your only shot.

Tuesday, 28 July, is a step down. The wind shifts to the SE, blowing cross-off at 16 mph, but the swell drops to 4ft from the north with a 9-second period. The energy is there (411), but it’s not the same power. The water is still clean, but the wave quality is marginal. It’s a funboard or longboard kind of day.

Wednesday, 29 July, holds steady at 5ft from the west, but the period drops to 8-9 seconds, and the wind is cross-off in the morning, turning cross-shore in the afternoon. The energy is moderate (427). It’s surfable, but nothing special. The morning is your best bet.

From Thursday, 30 July, through the weekend, we hit a flat spot. The swell drops to 2ft to 3ft, and the wind is all over the place – cross, onshore, messy. The scores are all zero, and the energy drops to weak levels (171 to 200). It’s dead.

The next glimmer of life is Monday, 3 August. The swell bumps up to 6ft from the north, with a longer 11-second period, and the energy jumps to 803 (moderate to strong). The wind is a cross-on from the NW at 12 mph, which is a bit messy, but the swell size has some push. It’s marginal, but it’s a better look than the previous days.

The real standout in the second week is Tuesday, 4 August. The morning is the best of the entire forecast. The swell is 4ft from the north, but the wind is light and cross-off from the ESE at only 6 mph. The water will be glassy, clean, and the combined energy is 333 (moderate). The forecast says “expect good surf conditions,” and I’m all in on that. The crowd is a factor, but with these conditions, it’s worth the fight. The period is 10 seconds, so it’s a nice, lined-up wave for the intermediate surfer.

Wednesday, 5 August, is another clean day. The swell is 4ft to 5ft from the west, with a short 6-second period, but the wind is light from the SSE and SE, keeping the surface glassy. The energy is low (253, 238), so it’s not a powerful wave, but it’s clean. The short period means it’ll be a bit soft, but fun for a groveler.

From Thursday, 6 August, onwards, the story turns. The wind picks up, and the swell fades. Thursday has a fresh SE breeze at 19 mph, and the swell is only 3ft. The energy is weak (131). It’s blown out.

The last week of the forecast is a slow, flat finish. Small swell (1.0ft to 3ft) with a mix of cross-onshore and onshore winds. The energy drops to double digits (57, 53, 32). The morning of Saturday, 8 August, has a tiny 3ft west-northwest swell and a gentle cross-off breeze, but it’s barely surfable. By 9 August, the swell is 1ft, and the wind is onshore. It’s a flat spell, and the forecast ends with almost no energy.

So, to sum it up: The morning of Monday, 27 July, is the first real standout – decent size, clean wind, and a solid west swell. Tuesday, 4 August, is the absolute best of the bunch: glassy, clean conditions and a fun, workable north swell. The rest is a mix of ordinary and flat. If you’re keen, hit those two windows. After that, it’s time to wax the longboard and wait for a better forecast.

Rusty.

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