Crantock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The outlook for Crantock over the next 16 days is a bit of a tough one for us paddle surfers. The river mouth setup here is sheltered, but the wind and swell just aren't lining up for clean, rideable waves for most of the run. There are a few flickers of hope, but you’ll have to be picky.

Thursday 10th September kicks things off, but it’s a mess. We’ve got a weak 3ft swell from the WSW with a short 6-second period, and a strong 19 mph cross-off wind. The combined energy is low at 82, so it’s weak and messy. The water is sitting at 65°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, about 4° above average. It’s a write-off.

Friday 11th September morning looks a bit better. The swell is a cleaner 5ft from the west with a 9-second period, and the wind turns light and onshore from the NW at 6 mph. The combined energy climbs to 373, which is moderate. Still, the forecast calls it poor surf conditions. The wind is onshore, so it’s not going to be glassy, but it’s the best we’ve seen so far. The afternoon is a step down with 4ft.

Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th are a write-off again with strong cross-shore winds and lumpy chop. The swell hangs around 4ft to 5ft, but the wind is ruining it.

Monday 14th September morning is a real standout. We get a 3ft west swell with a 9-second period, and the wind swings to a light 9 mph cross-off from the SW. The combined energy is low at 166, but the wind is clean, making for a clean surf. Crantock is fairly consistent, but it’s a river mouth, so it can be a bit fickle. The morning session is the pick of the first week.

Tuesday 15th September sees a bigger pulse of swell, 5ft to 7ft from the WNW, but the wind is a strong 19 mph onshore from the NW. The combined energy jumps to 588, but it’s going to be a blown-out, choppy mess. The afternoon gets up to 7ft, which is getting into the expert-only zone, but the wind is terrible.

Wednesday 16th September is similar – a solid 5ft to 6ft swell with moderate onshore wind. The energy is strong at 799, but the quality is poor.

Thursday 17th September drops off to 3ft and smaller, with onshore wind. Not worth it.

Friday 18th September morning offers a glimmer. A small 2ft swell from the WNW, but with a very long 12-second period and a clean cross-off wind from the SSW at 19 mph. The combined energy is a weak 175, but those long-period waves will be clean and lined up. It’s a small wave session for the log.

Saturday 19th September and Sunday 20th are back to strong onshore winds and lumpy, poor conditions. The swell is 5ft to 6ft, but the wind is a fresh 22 mph.

Monday 21st September drops to tiny 2ft to 2ft with a fresh cross-onshore wind. The energy is pathetic at 65 to 75. A complete flat spell.

Tuesday 22nd September sees a new pulse of 3ft to 4ft from the WNW with a 10-second period, but the wind is still a fresh cross-onshore. The energy is moderate at 348, but the chop is there.

Wednesday 23rd September is more of the same: 3ft to 3ft, cross-onshore wind, and a period of 13 seconds on the afternoon session. That long period gives some shape, but the wind is a problem.

Thursday 24th September has a bigger 6ft to 6ft swell from the WNW with a short 7-second period, and a light cross-onshore wind in the morning. The combined energy is 400, but the short period and cross-onshore wind make it a lumpy, weak close-out. Better for kite surfers than paddle surfers.

Friday 25th September – the final day of the forecast – offers a last chance. A 6ft west swell with an 8-second period, and a light 9 mph cross-off wind from the south. The combined energy is 337. The forecast calls it “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” which is the best we get. It’s clean, but the swell is a bit short-period and the size is borderline for beginners.

To be honest, the only real standout in this whole 16-day window is the Monday 14th September morning session. It’s the cleanest, most surfable window with a light offshore wind and a well-shaped 3ft west swell. The rest of the run is a lot of wind and chop, with a few small, clean windows for the longboard. The crowds at Crantock can be often, so expect company on that Monday morning.

Rusty.

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