Crantock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get real about Crantock. It’s a sheltered river mouth that likes a west swell, and for the best part of the next 16 days, the conditions just aren’t playing the game. The windows of opportunity are tiny and fall way short of what you’d want for a paddle. The first solid chance doesn’t show up until Friday the 21st of August, but even then, it’s marginal.

Overall pattern: The first week is a write-off, with persistent onshore wind and consistently poor surf. The standout is a couple of clean, glassy mornings later on, but the swell is tiny. The combined swell energy is weak right through, with only a few days climbing into the moderate range. The whole period is a struggle.

The breakdown: We start Thursday the 13th with clear skies and a gentle onshore breeze. The swell is 4 ft from the west at 11 seconds, but with a combined energy of just 269, it’s weak and all blown out. No good. Friday and Saturday are worse—smaller, cross-onshore, and lumpy. By Sunday the 16th, the swell drops to 2 ft and energy is down to 52. It’s dead.

Tuesday the 18th sees a slight bump with 4 ft swell and 137 energy, but the wind is cross-onshore and it’s choppy. The biggest swell of the period hits Wednesday the 19th of August, with 10 ft from the west-northwest and a strong 1790 energy. That’s powerful, but it’s still onshore and messy. That’s a heavy, unsurfable mess for all but the most experienced.

The first real spark comes on Friday the 21st of August, morning. The wind turns light and easterly, giving us a clean, cross-off breeze. The swell is a small 3 ft from the west at 10 seconds, with 145 energy. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The water temp is about average for the time of year. Sunday the 23rd of August morning is also clean, with a 2 ft west swell and 124 energy. Again, tiny, but at least the wind is light.

The best of the lot: Monday the 24th of August morning. It’s the only true standout. The wind goes glassy, the sky is cloudy, and the combined energy is 101. The swell is a tiny 2 ft from the west at 9 seconds. It’s small, but it’s glassy. The break is a river mouth, so those long-period, west swells won’t stand the place up, but a 9-second period is fine. With the sheltered setup, that glassy morning means you’ll have the cleanest, most peelable little waves you’ll see all fortnight. Crowds are often, so get there early.

After that, it’s back to onshore wind, strong gusts, and messy seas. The second week is a write-off. The 27th of August sees a bump to 5 ft and 6 ft swell, but with 30 km/h winds, it’s lumpy and cross-onshore. Not worth it.

The takeaway? If you’re desperate for a paddle, the morning of Monday the 24th of August is your only real shot. Otherwise, the instruments are dry for a long stretch. It’s a quiet period for this river break.

Rusty.

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