The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's get into it. The next couple of weeks are pretty lean overall for The Cove. We’ve got a long stretch of poor conditions to work through before anything really fires up.

For the start, from Thursday the 20th through to the end of the first week, it’s a tough watch. We’re dealing with a mix of onshore and cross-shore winds, mostly fresh and strong, and the swell is messy and short-period. The combined energy is mostly moderate to low – around 411, dropping down to 103 at its weakest – so there’s just not much push. The water’s sitting at 57°, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing to complain about there. But honestly, for a reef break, the conditions are just poor. Kite surfers might find something interesting in the stronger winds, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a no-go.

Then we get to Monday the 24th of August, and that’s the standout window. Monday morning, the wind goes slight and almost offshore from the southeast, just 3 mph. The swell kicks up to a solid 7ft from the WNW, with a period of 11 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 1147, marking moderate-to-strong energy. The setup looks excellent for experienced surfers. The Cove is a reef, so that longer period should line up nicely, but at 7ft, it’s going to be too much for beginners. If you’ve got the skill, this is the morning to be out there. It’s clean and there’s real power. Crowds are possible at this spot, so get there early.

After that high, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are clean but the swell drops right off – down to 4ft and then 2ft through Wednesday, with energy falling to 403 and then down to 122. The wind is cross-offshore, but the wave size just isn’t there to make it worthwhile. The rest of that week into the first of September stays in that 3ft to 6ft range, with the wind flicking around and most of it onshore or cross-shore. The energy is mostly low to moderate, and the surf quality is poor.

Now, look ahead to Wednesday the 2nd of September. This one is promising but less certain. The morning shows a massive 15ft swell from the NW, with a period of 10 seconds and combined energy of 3860 – that’s strong wave energy. But the wind is onshore from the NNW at 9 mph. That kind of size, even with a bit of wind, will be for experts only, and it’s going to be a beast. Given it’s still a week and a half out, keep an eye on it, but if the wind swings right, this could be a crazy session at The Cove.

Finally, Thursday the 3rd of September morning looks like a solid option for the experienced crew. The swell is a more manageable 7ft from the west, period at 7 seconds, with light offshore wind from the SSW at 6 mph. Energy is moderate at 532, and the conditions are expected to be very good – clean waves with that light offshores. The crowd profile is worth a mention too; it’s a spot that sees people sometimes, so there might be a few out. After that, the wind goes strong again and the conditions close out.

Overall, the clear winner is Monday the 24th of August morning. That’s the one to circle. Thursday the 3rd of September morning is a strong backup if you can wait. Everything else in between is either blown out or too small.

Rusty.

Read more