The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

It’s a tough start, folks. For the first several days, from Saturday the 18th right through to Wednesday the 23rd of July, the wind is just all over the place – mostly cross or cross-onshore, and the swell is short-period, messy stuff. We’re looking at choppy, lumpy conditions with low energy in the water (171 to 300). It’s a write-off for a proper paddle session. The water temp is sitting at 56°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no shock there.

Then we get a bit of a tease on Thursday morning the 23rd. The wind goes cross-offshore and it turns clean, with a 5ft swell from the WNW, but the energy is still only moderate (245). The forecast calls it marginal, and I’d agree – it’s a “maybe” session if you’re desperate.

The real action starts to build on Friday the 24th. The swell jumps up to a solid 12ft from the WNW. The problem? The wind is howling from the WSW at 31 mph in the morning, a near gale. Even though it’s cross-off, that’s a lot of wind. The wave energy is very strong (1742), but this is strictly for expert tow-in or a very experienced crew. Saturday the 25th is where it gets interesting. The wind drops right out, and by Saturday afternoon we’ve got glassy conditions with an 8ft WNW groundswell, period at 11 seconds, and very strong energy (1585). That is the standout of the whole 16-day window. The Cove is a reef break, so it’ll handle that long-period swell well, but at 8ft, it’s only for experienced surfers. The water will be clean, the sets will have real power, and the gaps between sets will be long enough to get out. This is a Saturday afternoon session to circle on the calendar.

Sunday the 26th drops back a bit – 7ft in the morning, but the wind is light and cross, so it’s still rideable for intermediates. The energy drops to moderate (863). The rest of the week from Sunday afternoon through to the end of the month is a mixed bag of cross-onshore wind and lumpy, choppy conditions. The swell stays between 5ft and 6ft, but the wind ruins it.

Look at Wednesday the 29th of July – a late-morning bright spot. The wind goes offshore from the SSW, light and clean. The swell is 5ft from the WNW, period 9 seconds, and the energy is moderate (373). That’s a good, clean, fun-sized wave for an intermediate crew. Not a massive standout, but a solid morning session.

The very end of the window on Saturday the 1st of August has another glassy afternoon, with a 5ft WNW swell. It’s clean, but the energy is moderate (356) and the swell is smaller. A nice way to finish the period if you’re after a longboard or a mellow cruise.

So, the best on offer? It’s Saturday the 25th of July for the experienced crew – that glassy, 8ft groundswell is the one. And for the intermediates, Wednesday the 29th of July morning gives you a clean, offshore 5ft wave.

Stay safe out there, and keep an eye on the wind.

Rusty.

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