The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Well, I gotta be straight with you—this run ain’t exactly firing on all cylinders. The Cove is a reef set-up, and for the first week and a half, it’s mostly a write-off. We’ve got a lot of poor surf conditions and funky winds, so you’ll be doing more watching than paddling. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild there.

The first real chance to wet a line comes on Friday, August 7th. We’ve got a tiny little pulse of 1ft from the WNW with a 9-second period, but the real win is the SSW offshore wind. It’s clean, real clean. The combined energy is weak (72), so it’s more of a longboard or a foamy session. The Cove is exposed to the NW, so this WNW direction is a bit off the optimum, but with offshore wind, it’ll still offer up some fun little corners. Crowds are possible here, so keep an eye out.

Over the weekend of the 9th and 10th, the swell bumps up a bit, but the wind is just messy. Saturday the 8th has a 7ft to 8ft W swell with a 9-second period, but those strong breeze cross-off winds will make it look better than it rides. The energy is moderate to strong (736-795), but it’s not clean enough to get excited about. Sunday the 9th pushes into 8ft from the W with a 10-second period, and the energy is strong (1344), but again, cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions. This is not a paddle-friendly window; it’s more kite-surfing territory if you’re into that.

The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Monday, August 17th. This is the one. We’ve got a solid 12ft swell rolling in from the W, with a 10-second period and light breeze conditions. The combined energy is a powerhouse (2486), and the morning session has clean offshore winds from the SW. This is expert-level stuff—over 8ft is only for the experienced. The swell direction is W, which is a touch off the optimum NW, but for a reef break like The Cove, that long-period groundswell will wrap in nicely. The afternoon stays clean with light cross-shore winds. This is the best on offer, no question.

After that, there’s a bit of a drop-off. The 18th and 19th see the swell back down and the wind getting messy again, with a near gale on the 19th. Not much to write home about.

So, to sum it up: the first week is mostly a dud, with a tiny window on Friday the 7th for a clean, small wave. The big prize is Monday the 17th—big, powerful, and clean. Get on it if you’ve got the skills.

Rusty.

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