Crantock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the 16-day forecast for Crantock. Straight up, this is a tough one. The outlook is a real blank run for almost the entire period, with no surf worth paddling out for until the very end. We’re looking at over a week and a half of flat, messy, or just plain poor conditions.

From Monday the 13th of July right through to the end of the week, it’s a write-off. You’ve got tiny, weak swell bumping in from the north and north-northeast, with a wave energy reading of just 94 (weak) on the first morning. The wind is cross-off, which keeps the surface clean, but with a swell height of only 3 ft, a period of 6 seconds, and that combined energy so low, there’s just no push or shape. It’s poor surf. Tuesday and Wednesday are even smaller, with waves dropping to 0.7 ft or 1.0 ft. The wind stays light and clean at times, but the swell is non-existent. Thursday and Friday see a little bump in size, but the wind turns cross-on and choppy, making it a mess. The whole first week is a dud.

The second week continues the same story. The mornings of the 20th into the 22nd of July have a bit of a northwest swell trying to show, but it’s still tiny at 1.0 ft to 1 ft, with a period around 9-11 seconds. The wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore, and the wave energy is weak, staying under 50. It’s just not enough to get out of the poor category. Late in the week, from the 23rd to the 25th, we get some clean offshore winds, particularly on the morning of the 24th with a 12 mph ESE breeze, but the swell is down to 1.0 ft or less. It’s glassy, but flat.

Now, finally, there’s a pulse of proper swell arriving on Sunday the 26th of July. The morning brings a 4 ft swell from the west-southwest, with a period of 6 seconds, and a combined energy of 107 (moderate). The problem is the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-onshore, making it lumpy. The afternoon sees a similar 4 ft swell from the west, with energy jumping to 184 (moderate), but the wind is still strong and cross-onshore. It’s not clean, but it’s the first real sign of life.

The standout, if you can call it that, is Monday the 27th of July. We’re looking at a 8 ft to 8 ft swell from the west, with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy hits 649 in the morning and 948 in the afternoon (strong to very strong wave energy). This is big, powerful, and has serious punch. However, the wind is a strong 25 mph cross-shore, creating a messy, cross-chop. This is not beginner territory. At 8 ft, it’s expert-only, and the wind is making it a battle. The set-up being a river mouth, with that short period, it’s going to be a wild, lumpy, and powerful mess. Honestly, for a paddle board or a standard surfboard, this looks more like a kite-surfing day than a clean paddle session.

Tuesday the 28th of July still has a 8 ft swell from the west-northwest, with a period of 11 seconds and a huge combined energy of 1340 (very strong). The wind is still a moderate 16 mph cross-onshore, so it’s still choppy and not the clean, lined-up waves we want.

So, if you’re desperate, the 27th and 28th have the most size, but the conditions are far from ideal. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so nothing unusual there. For now, it’s a waiting game. Forecasts can change, but this stretch looks like a real quiet spell for Crantock.

Rusty.

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