The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for The Cove. We’ve got a bit of a frustrating start, but the second half of the outlook has some real promise.

The first few days are a write-off, I’m not gonna lie. Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd are a no-go – the wind is howling out of the WNW around 15 to 22 mph, cross-onshore to cross, and it’s just choppy and messy. The swell is there, around 4 ft to 7 ft, with a short period of 7 to 8 seconds, but the conditions are poor. Not worth paddling out. Friday the 24th is a bit better in the morning with a 8 ft swell from the W and a longer 9 second period, combined energy of 908 (moderate), and the wind is cross-off at 22 mph making it clean, but it’s a strong breeze. Saturday the 25th sees a 7 ft swell from the WNW with a 10 second period, but the wind is cross and onshore, so it’s still not clean.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Sunday the 26th morning is the first real standout. The Cove is a reef break, fairly consistent, and it’s exposed to the NW swell. We’ve got a 5 ft swell from the W with a 10 second period, combined energy of 523 (moderate), and the wind is a light ESE breeze around 6 mph, blowing cross-off. That’s going to be clean. The water temp is 55°, which is about average for the time of year. This is a good session for intermediates, but the swell is over 5 ft, so beginners might find it a bit much. The wind is light and the waves will have shape.

However, the absolute standout is Monday the 27th. The morning is looking excellent for experienced surfers. We’ve got a 7 ft swell from the W with a 10 second period, combined energy of 1098 (strong), and the wind is SW at 9 mph, cross-off and clean. The afternoon brings a 6 ft swell from the W with a 10 second period, and the wind swings to a light SSW at 9 mph, going offshore. That’s a clean, groomed wave. The swell is over 7 ft, so this is for solid intermediate to expert surfers only. The break can get crowded sometimes, so be prepared for company.

After Monday, things drop off. Tuesday the 28th through to the end of the month sees the wind picking up again, and the swell drops. There’s a bit of a lull from the 31st of July through to the 5th of August, with small, weak swells around 2 ft to 4 ft, and the combined energy drops to weak levels (96 to 143). The wind is mostly cross-off, but the waves are just too small for any real fun.

A small pulse shows up again on Thursday the 6th of August. The morning has a 4 ft swell from the W with a short 7 second period, combined energy of 195 (weak), but the wind is light SE at 6 mph, cross-off and clean. The afternoon is better with a 4 ft swell from the W and a longer 9 second period, combined energy of 250 (moderate), and the same light wind. It’s surfable, but not the quality of the 27th.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a dud, but Sunday the 26th is a good, clean session. Monday the 27th is the one to mark on the calendar if you’re experienced – it’s the best on offer. The second week is mostly small and weak, with a final small window on the 6th of August.

Rusty.

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