Crantock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty. Well, I’ll be honest with you – for the next 16 days, Crantock is lookin’ pretty grim. There are some small windows of possibility right at the tail end of the period, but for the most part, the surf is either too small, too messy, or blown out. We’ve got a long stretch of poor conditions from now through to early September, so don't get your hopes up for any classic sessions. Let me walk ya through it.

So, Monday the 31st of August kicks things off with a solid 8ft W swell rolling in, and a combined energy of 1352 – that's a proper bit of power. But the 22 mph NW wind is straight onshore, and the water’s a touch warmer than normal at 65°. It’s a total write-off. Tuesday the 1st of September drops right down to 4ft, with cross-shore wind and 196 energy – still poor. Wednesday the 2nd is even smaller at 2ft, and while the wind turns cross-offshore, the 6-second period is way too short for any real drive. We’re just scraping by with 63 energy.

This nasty pattern sticks around – light onshore breezes, cross-onshore chop, and small swell through the first week. Saturday the 5th gives us 4ft from WNW with an 11-second period, which is a nice long groundswell, but the cross-onshore wind at only 3 mph keeps it clean-ish. Still, 363 energy is modest, and the conditions are rated poor.

Then on Saturday the 12th of September, we finally get a little spark. Mornin’ session shows 3ft from the W with a clean offshore SSE breeze at 16 mph – that’s a nice clean look. The period is 8 seconds, which is a bit short, and the energy is only 111, so it’s small and weak. The comment even says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” It’s the one mention in the whole run that isn’t a total zero, so if you’re desperate, it’s your best bet. Sunday the 13th stays clean with offshore winds, but the swell is tiny and the period drops.

Now, here’s the standout – but it’s a long way out. Monday the 14th of September sees a 8ft W swell push through in the morning, ramping to 10ft in the afternoon, with combined energy of 1121 and 1396 – that’s strong to very strong wave energy. The period is 9 seconds, so it’s a mix of swell, not a pure groundswell. The wind is cross-shore at 12-16 mph from the SW, which will bring some chop. The guidance calls this “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions,” but it’s got size. Tuesday the 15th improves a bit: 7ft from the W with an 11-second groundswell period, 1122 energy, and a cross-offshore wind from the SSW at 12 mph – that’s clean. The rating is a 2, which is the highest we see all run. So if you’re an experienced surfer and can wait that long, Tuesday the 15th of September is the pick of the fortnight. Monday the 14th is for experts only with 10ft waves. For the rest of us, it’s a whole lot of nothin’.

Remember, longer period groundswell at Crantock (a river setup, sheltered and fairly consistent, with the optimum swell from W) can break a bit straight on a beach, but a river mouth can handle it – just a heads-up. Crowds are often here, so even on a clean day you won’t be alone.

To sum it up: the first 12 days are a write-off. The only real chance at something worth paddling for is Tuesday the 15th of September. Keep an eye on the forecasts – it’s a long way out.

Rusty.

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