Turtle Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what Turtle Cove has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – it’s a grim run for the most part. We’re talking tiny, weak swells and sloppy conditions for days on end. The water temp is sitting at about 71°, which is normal for this time of year, nothing special.

We kick off Monday the 24th of August with a weak 3-foot S swell, but it’s only 6 seconds of period, giving us a combined energy of just 96 – that’s weak, flabby surf. The wind is a cross-off from the SSW, but the overall quality is just poor. Nothing to get excited about.

Tuesday the 25th is even smaller, with a 1-foot SE swell. The morning has clean offshore W winds, but the waves are practically non-existent. The energy is down to 42, and the whole day is a write-off.

Wednesday the 26th shows a tiny bump to 2-foot from the ESE. The morning has a gentle offshore breeze from the WNW, making it clean, but it's still just a one-star day at best. The swell period is a modest 9 seconds, and the combined energy is still a weak 57. It’s surfable if you’re desperate, but it’s very ordinary.

The rest of the week into the weekend is a blur of poor surf. Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th are all cross-shore winds and small, crumbly waves. Friday afternoon sees a slight lift to 3-foot from the S, with the energy finally hitting 142 (moderate), but it’s still a short-period 7-second swell – bumpy and weak. Saturday the 29th is similar, with the afternoon offering a 3-foot S swell and clean cross-off wind, but again, the quality is “ordinary.”

Sunday the 30th is a no-go, with strong SW winds blowing at 19 mph in the afternoon, pushing that tiny 1-foot swell into a mess.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting but still not great for paddle surfing. Monday the 31st of August brings in a very long-period swell from the SE – 19 seconds! But the wave height is a pathetic 0.3-foot to 1-foot. The energy is tiny (24), so it’s all period and no size. The wind is offshore and clean from the WSW, so the ocean surface will be glassy, but there’s just nothing to ride.

Tuesday the 1st of September sees the period drop to 14-15 seconds, still long, and the height stays at a meagre 2-foot. Cross-shore winds will chop it up. The combined energy climbs to 167 (moderate), but without any size, it’s a cruel tease.

The second week gets ugly. From Wednesday the 2nd through to Friday the 4th of September, we see stronger onshore and cross-shore winds, and the sea gets messy and lumpy. The swell height builds to 4-foot on Friday morning, but it’s from the SE with a period of 14 seconds and strong N winds blowing at 28 mph. The combined energy jumps to 653 (strong), but it’s a washing machine out there. This setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The only glimmer of hope comes on Sunday the 6th of September. The morning shows a clean 3-foot ESE swell with a light offshore from the WNW at just 6 mph. The combined energy is a solid 200 (moderate). For the first time, the forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” The swell direction is 90° from optimum, but with clean offshore wind and a decent 8-second period, this is your standout. It’s still only a small day, but it’s the best on offer.

After that, Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th go back to onshore slop and tiny waves.

To sum it up: the entire 16-day window is a struggle. There’s a massive gap of poor conditions from now until Sunday the 6th of September. If you can wait that long, that Sunday morning session at Turtle Cove is the only one worth paddling out for. Everything else is for the kites.

Rusty.

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