Surf spot

The Cove, Cape May

Forecast conditions and map view for The Cove, Cape May in USA, North East, New Jersey. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, North East, New Jersey
Coordinates: 38.9286, -74.9347

Metric
Metric	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00
Wave height (m)	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2
Wave direction	SSE	SE	SE	SE	ENE	E	SE	E	ESE	SE	SE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SE	SE	SSE	SE	SSE	SSE	ESE	ESE	NNW	NNW	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E
Wave period (s)	4	4.3	6	5.3	2.6	2.8	4.1	3.6	3.2	3.1	3.3	3.5	3.6	3.8	3.5	6.3	7.3	4.9	5	4.2	4.5	7.3	6.8	3.1	3	4.3	4.3	4.7	4.3	3.6	4.8	4.9	3.6	4.1	4	4.7	4.5	4.7	4.5	4.6	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.2	5.3	5.3	5.3	4.9	5.1	5.4	4.7	4.8	4.9	4.8	4.8	4.9
Wave energy (kJ)	1	1	1	1	0	1	2	1	3	5	5	4	5	3	2	5	5	3	3	2	2	4	4	1	0	3	3	4	5	4	6	7	6	6	6	7	7	6	7	6	8	8	8	8	8	8	7	5	6	5	5	4	4	3	3	2
Wind speed (km/h)	6.9	9.7	13.9	18.5	18.5	18.7	19.1	20.9	17.3	14.2	18.1	10.4	9.8	6.1	9.4	9.7	8.1	16	24.4	24.5	16.2	21.5	12.1	18.3	18.1	17.6	15.8	22.2	20.8	19.5	16.4	16.3	11.3	12	12.5	14.8	13.3	11.9	11.8	11.3	7.5	4.6	4	9.7	11.6	17.3	15.2	16.6	16.4	15.3	16.9	19.4	20.1	22	18	12.2
Wind direction	ECross-off	ECross-off	ECross-off	SECross	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross	SECross	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWOnshore	WCross-on	WCross-on	WCross-on	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WNWCross-on	NNWCross-off	NCross-off	NNWCross-off	NNWCross-off	NNEOffshore	NNEOffshore	NNEOffshore	NEOffshore	NEOffshore	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ECross-off	ENECross-off	NEOffshore	NEOffshore	ENECross-off	ECross-off	ECross-off	ESECross	ESECross	ESECross-off	SEGlassy	EGlassy	SSECross-on	SSECross-on	SSECross-on	SCross-on	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWOnshore	SWOnshore	WCross-on	NWCross	NCross-off	NNEOffshore	NNEOffshore

The Cove, Cape May, New Jersey is one of the best-known surf spots in South Jersey, located near the southern tip of the state where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic. It’s a popular beach-break wave with a laid-back, local feel and is especially appealing because it can work on a variety of swell directions.

Surf character

Type: Mostly a beach break with shifting sandbars
Wave quality: Can be very good when conditions line up, offering clean, relatively punchy peaks
Best for: Beginners to advanced surfers, depending on the day
Wave shape: Usually shorter and more playful than powerful, but can still produce fun, hollow sections on the right swell

Best conditions

Swell: Handles east to southeast swells well, but can also respond to northeast swell
Wind: Best with westerly/offshore winds, while east or northeast winds tend to make it messy
Tide: Tidal conditions matter a lot; many locals prefer mid to incoming tide, though it can vary with sandbar setup

Crowd and vibe

Crowd level: Often busy, especially in summer and on good swell days
Atmosphere: Friendly but competitive; a well-known local spot with a strong surf community
Access: Easy beach access makes it convenient, which also adds to the number of surfers in the water

What to expect

A relatively consistent South Jersey wave when sandbars are working
Quick changes in shape and quality because the bottom shifts frequently
A spot that can be fun for longboarders and shortboarders alike, depending on wave size and tide
In summer, smaller surf and more people; in fall/winter, better swell and more challenging conditions

Overall

The Cove is a classic Cape May surf break: accessible, scenic, and capable of producing excellent waves when conditions are right. It’s not usually a heavy, powerful surf spot, but it can deliver fun, clean Atlantic surf and is one of the most reliable places in the area to check.