Crantock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me be straight with you. I’ve looked at the forecast for the next couple of weeks, and honestly, it’s a tough one. There’s nothing that really jumps out as a good session. The entire 16-day window is a bit of a write-off for decent waves.

Let’s start with the overall picture. We’re looking at Crantock, a river mouth break that’s fairly consistent and sheltered. It’s a beginner-friendly spot. The water temperature is sitting at 64°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

For the first few days, from Saturday the 18th right through to the end of July, it’s all pretty poor. The swell is small, mostly under 3 ft, and coming from the north or northwest. The wind is a problem – it’s almost always a cross-onshore, often a moderate to fresh breeze, making it choppy and lumpy. The combined swell energy is weak, barely getting into double digits (37 to 96). The one morning on Sunday the 19th had clean conditions with an offshore breeze, but the swell was only 2 ft and weak, so it’s not really worth paddling out for.

As we move into the second week, things don’t get much better. There’s a bit more size, with swells climbing to 5 ft to 7 ft, and the combined energy gets into the moderate range (126 to 494). The wind is still mostly cross-onshore or onshore, though. The morning of Thursday the 30th of July is the only time the surf quality gets a “marginal” rating – the swell hits 7 ft from the WNW with a period of 8 seconds, and the wind is cross-offshore, making it clean. But it’s still not a standout, and it’s a long way out.

The swell is over 5 ft at that point, so it’s getting a bit too big for beginners. The period is short, under 8 seconds, so the waves won’t be that well shaped. With the wind being cross-off at the river mouth, it might be a bit shifty.

The last few days of the forecast, into the start of August, show the swell dropping back down to under 3 ft, with weak energy again. The wind is a mix of cross and cross-off, but there’s just no power to the waves.

So, there’s no real standout here. The best on offer, if you’re desperate, is probably that Thursday the 30th of July morning, but it’s a gamble. For the rest of it, you’re better off waiting for a better forecast. It’s a real shame, but sometimes it’s just like that.

Rusty.

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