Crantock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. There’s a long stretch of nothing happening, and then a few days where the ocean kicks up but the wind just ruins it. Let’s break it down.

We’re starting with a blank run. For the first few days, from Thursday afternoon the 9th of July right through to the middle of the month, there’s just nothing on offer. The swell is tiny, the energy is weak (values like 119 or 24), and the conditions are only described as "poor surf conditions". It’s gonna be flat or close to it. You’d be better off checking the tide pools.

The first real chance we get is around the 17th of July. The swell starts to pick up, but don’t get your hopes up. On Friday morning the 17th, we’ve got a 3 ft swell from the west, but it’s a short period of 6 seconds and onshore wind from the NNW at 9 mph. The energy is low to moderate at 106. It’s messy. The afternoon is the same story – 3 ft, period 6 seconds, onshore wind from the NW at 12 mph, energy at 137. Still poor.

The weekend of the 18th and 19th of July sees a jump in size, but the wind stays onshore. Saturday morning the 18th has a 5 ft west swell with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy is strong at 422. That’s a decent amount of water moving, but it’s blown out by a moderate breeze from the NW at 12 mph. The note says "poor surf conditions" and "unknown" for the wave state. That’s a red flag. This swell is getting too big for beginners, and for the experienced guys, it’s going to be a lumpy, onshore mess at Crantock (river).

If you’re thinking about the 20th and 21st of July, forget it. The swell is around 5 ft to 5 ft from the WNW with moderate energy (316-306), but the wind is a cross-onshore at 15-18 mph, making it choppy and lumpy. It’s not surfable for a paddle. With that kind of wind and a beach setup, this is looking more like a kite session than a surf session.

The only whisper of a good window might be on the 24th of July. Friday morning the 24th shows a 2 ft swell from the WNW with a period of 10 seconds – that’s a bit of groundswell, which is a positive. The energy is moderate at 169. The wind is very light, a slight air from the west at 3 mph, creating only light cross-onshore ripples. The water temp is a touch warmer than normal at 62°. This is the closest we’ll get to clean, but the swell is small. It’s a long shot, but the light wind is a major positive for clean conditions. The afternoon though, the wind picks up to 12 mph and it’s choppy again.

So, the honest truth? There’s no standout session in this 16-day run. The only break on offer is Crantock, and it’s rarely coming together. The best bet, if you’re desperate, is that Friday morning the 24th of July – the small, clean, glassy window. Everything else is either flat, blown out, or too big and messy. Hang in there, forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a tough stretch.

- Rusty

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