Crescent Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve been staring at the charts for Crescent Head, and honestly, this 16-day window is a real mixed bag. We’ve got a bit of a gap before anything really gets going, and even then, it’s not going to be a classic run. There’s a decent pulse of swell coming, but you’ve got to pick your moments with the wind. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no dramas there.

The first real sniff of action is this Friday afternoon, the 24th of July. It’s a bit of a tough one to start with. We’ve got a solid 6ft swell from the south, but it’s packing a lot of energy, around 1049 (moderate to strong), and the wind is a cross-shore southerly at 12 mph. That’s going to put a nasty chop on it. The wave comment says it’s marginal, and I’d have to agree. It’s not the sort of day you’d rush out for.

Now, Saturday morning the 25th of July is where things get interesting. The swell drops a touch to 5ft from the SSE, but the period stretches out to a nice 13 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. The energy is still hefty at 878 (moderate to strong). But the real win is the wind: a light northwesterly at 6 mph, blowing cross-offshore. That’s going to clean the waves right up. I’d be calling this the first standout of the period. Crescent Head is a classic point break, and that long-period SSE swell is going to wrap in beautifully. The water is clean, the conditions are set, and it’s a fairly consistent spot. It’s not huge, but for a point break, that 5ft is a lovely, fun size. Just keep an eye out for a few other people, as crowds are sometimes around.

The rest of that weekend is a bit of a letdown. Saturday afternoon swings onshore, and Sunday morning the 26th of July sees a glassy 4ft from the SSE, but it’s small and the energy is dropping. The swell stays small and onshore the rest of Sunday. Monday the 27th of July is flat and glassy in the morning, but the waves are tiny and ordinary.

We hit a real lull from Tuesday the 28th of July through to Wednesday the 29th of July. The swell drops right off, with energy readings down in the 20s and 50s (weak). It’s a classic flat spell for the area.

Then, on Thursday morning the 30th of July, things fire up again. Look at this: a 6ft south swell with a short period of 8 seconds, but a massive energy reading of 725 (moderate to strong). The wind is a clean cross-offshore southwesterly at 12 mph. The wave comment says it’s marginal, but with that much energy and clean wind, there’s going to be some punchy, hollow waves. This is a powerful swell, but with that short period, it’ll be a bit close together. It’s another standout to keep an eye on. That Thursday afternoon goes onshore and messy, though.

Friday the 31st of July is a bit smaller and cleaner, but nothing special. Then Saturday morning, the 1st of August, is another serious contender. We’ve got a 6ft south swell at 9 seconds, with energy hitting 709 (moderate to strong). The wind is a gentle cross-offshore south-southwesterly at 9 mph, and the wave comment says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is a solid, clean day at the point. I’d say this is the second clear standout for the whole period.

After that, it’s a slow slide back into small, ordinary waves. The swell drops off again, with Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th of August being particularly small. There’s a tiny pulse of 2ft easterly swell on the 5th, but with a very long period of 12 seconds. That’s prone to being a bit straight at beach breaks, but Crescent Head is a point, so it could wrap in. Still, it’s tiny. The rest of the week into the 8th is just small, weak, and messy.

So, to sum it up: the best bets are Saturday morning the 25th of July and Saturday morning the 1st of August. Both offer clean conditions, decent swell, and that classic point break setup. The 30th of July Thursday morning is a wildcard for the more experienced crew looking for punch. The rest of the window is a whole lot of waiting.

Rusty, signing off.

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