Crantock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this isn’t the most exciting outlook I’ve ever written. We’re looking at a 16-day window for Crantock, and honestly, the surf is pretty grim for most of it. The forecast is flat, blown out, or just plain messy for long stretches, so I’ll tell you where the few glimmers are, but don’t get your hopes up too high.

The first real chance to even consider paddling out doesn’t come until Tuesday the 8th of September. For the whole first week of this forecast, we’ve got a mix of onshore wind and messy swell. We’ll see a spike of 8 ft from the west on Monday the 31st of August, but with a strong 22 mph northwesterly blowing straight on, it’s a washing machine. The combined energy is a meaty 1352, but it’s unsurfable. That wave energy stays moderate to strong into the 4th of September (459-701), but the wind is always cross or cross-onshore, churning up a lumpy, choppy mess. It’s a kite surfer’s dream, not a paddle surfer’s.

So, we wait. The first hint of a clean-up comes on Sunday the 6th of September. The swell has dropped right off to 2 ft to 2 ft from the west, but the wind turns offshore from the SSE. It’s clean, but there’s barely any energy in the water – combined energy is only 62 to 87. It’s a tiny, clean ankle-snapper for the longboard or a beginner, but don’t expect to get your fins wet.

The standout of the entire forecast, if you can call it that, is Tuesday the 8th of September. The morning sees a 7 ft swell from the west (period 9 seconds, combined energy 718) with a light cross-shore wind. It’s only a “marginal” call, but it’s the best we’ve got. This is a river break, so it’s a bit sheltered. 7 ft is getting into the size where it’s not for beginners, and it might be a bit straight for the beach, but the lower energy and cleaner wind make it the most interesting window. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no need to dig out the 5/4 just yet.

After that, it’s a long, flat spell. From the 9th of September right through to the 15th, we’ve got a run of tiny, clean offshore days, but the swell is a joke – 1.0 ft to 3 ft. The wind is fresh and offshore from the SE, so it’s glassy, but there’s simply no wave to ride. The combined energy drops to as low as 17. It’s a beautiful, flat, sunny lake. The very last day, Tuesday the 15th of September, finally shows a whisper of life: 3 ft from the west with a 11-second period and a moderate offshore breeze. The combined energy is 224, but it’s a very ordinary, weak day. That’s three weeks away, so don’t bank on it.

In short: the first week is a write-off with wind. The second week is clean but flat. If you’re desperate, the morning of Tuesday the 8th of September is your only real shot at something with a bit of push, but it’s still a marginal call. The rest is for the seals.

Rusty

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