Crab Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Crab Island is a reef break that’s exposed to the swell, and it’s an advanced wave. It’s fairly consistent, but let me tell you, the next couple of weeks look tough. The water temp is about what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing unusual.

The first real chance of any energy comes Wednesday, July 22nd, but it’s only 1ft from the west, with a weak combined energy of just 18. The wind is a cross-offshore in the morning, which would keep it clean, but there’s basically no wave to ride. The afternoon goes cross-on and choppy, so that’s a miss. Thursday and Friday don’t get any better with tiny swell and onshore winds.

We hit the weekend, July 25th and 26th, and the swell picks up to 5ft to 6ft, west/northwest. The combined energy climbs into the hundreds (147 to 456), so there’s some power in the water, but the wind is straight onshore or cross-onshore, with moderate to fresh breezes. The surf will be lumpy and messy. Not the kind of day you paddle out for.

Monday July 27th through Tuesday July 28th sees the biggest swell of the window so far, reaching 6ft from the west, with combined energy peaking at 498. But again, the wind is a fresh cross-onshore, making it choppy and poor. The period is short (8-10 seconds), so it’s not going to have much shape.

The swell drops back to 3ft on Wednesday July 29th, and by Thursday July 30th it’s down to 2ft. The wind is still messy, cross-shore and cross-on. No go.

Friday July 31st is the first real standout, but you have to be careful. The swell jumps to 8ft from the west-southwest, with a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy hits 1075, which is strong. However, the wind is a fresh cross-shore, creating lumpy conditions. With swell over 8ft on Saturday August 1st, this is expert territory only. At 7ft to 8ft, with fresh cross-onshore winds and onshore winds, this setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The quality is poor, so unless you’re a seasoned charger looking for a beating, I’d sit this out.

Sunday August 2nd through Monday August 3rd, the swell fades quickly from 6ft down to 2ft. The wind improves a little, but by then there’s no wave.

The best window, and I mean the only real window that looks promising, is Wednesday August 5th. The swell picks up to 6ft from the west-southwest, with a long period of 11 seconds. The combined energy is 763, so there’s solid power. The wind is a moderate cross-onshore, which will create some chop, but with that long period, Crab Island’s reef structure could offer some decent, lined-up waves. It’s not the cleanest, but it’s the best on offer in this 16-day stretch. Crowds are often at this spot, so expect company.

The long gap before any real action is clear: from July 22nd right through to August 5th, it’s a long, frustrating wait with nothing but poor conditions.

Rusty out.

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