Crescent Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Crescent Head.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but this 16-day window has some real promise, especially towards the back half. The first few days are pretty quiet, then we see a serious pulse of energy roll in. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

Sunday the 12th is a gentle start. Morning will have some clean, rideable 4ft swell from the SE with a 10-second period and a light offshore wind. It’s not big, but it’s clean and the energy is moderate (265). It’s a decent warm-up. By the afternoon, the swell drops a touch to 3ft, and it’s still surfable but very ordinary.

Monday the 13th is tiny. Morning has a glassy 1ft from the ESE, 9-second period, and the combined energy is weak (60). It’s flat by any real standard. Afternoon gets messy with a cross-onshore wind, so not worth paddling out.

Tuesday the 14th is a write-off. Swell is barely there, 0.7ft in the morning and 1ft in the afternoon. Forget it.

Now, things start to change Wednesday the 15th. The swell jumps to 6ft from the SSW, but it’s a short-period 6-second wind swell with moderate to strong energy (327). The wind is cross-off, keeping things clean, but the quality is only marginal. It’s a step up in size but not in shape.

Thursday the 16th gets serious, but only for experienced surfers. We’re looking at 10ft from the SSE in the morning, pumping up to 12ft in the afternoon. The period is short (8 seconds), and the energy is very strong (1923 and 2495). The wind is cross-shore, which will chop it up. This is big, messy, and powerful – expert territory only, and even then it’s not easy.

Friday the 17th is similar, with 10ft from the SE in the morning (9 seconds), easing to 8ft in the afternoon. Still big and still cross-shore. The energy remains very strong (2648 dropping to 889). It’s a lot of water moving around.

Saturday the 18th sees another 10ft day from the ESE, but the period extends to 10 seconds, giving it more shape. The energy is very strong (2965 in the morning, 1576 in the afternoon). Rain showers are likely. The wind stays cross-shore, which is a shame because the swell has some grunt. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday the 19th is the standout of the first week. By the afternoon, we have a solid 13ft E swell with an 11-second period. The combined energy is massive (6384). The wind is a gentle cross-shore, so it will have some texture, but the power and period are there. This is a big groundswell, over 8ft, so experts only. The long period will make it wall up nicely at this point break, but the beach sections might be a bit straight.

Monday the 20th still has plenty of size, with 8ft E swell in the morning (10 seconds) and 8ft in the afternoon. The wind is light and cross-shore, keeping it rideable. The energy is still strong (1537 and 1215).

Tuesday the 21st is a beauty. Morning has 7ft from the E, an 11-second period, and glassy conditions with a light offshore wind. The energy is high (995). The water will be clean and the waves will have good shape. This is a great option for experienced surfers.

Wednesday the 22nd is another top pick. The morning has 6ft from the E, a very long 12-second period, and glassy conditions. The energy is still strong (1249). The long period means it will be powerful with long gaps between sets, perfect for this point break. It’s excellent for experienced surfers.

Thursday the 23rd holds clean with 4ft from the E, 11 seconds, and a light cross-offshore wind. The energy is moderate (546). Very good conditions for a session.

Friday the 24th has 5ft from the ESE (11 seconds) in the morning, with a clean cross-off breeze. Solid, fun waves.

Saturday the 25th brings 5ft from the SE, a very long 12-second period, and a clean offshore wind from the W. The energy is moderate (963). Another very good morning.

Sunday the 26th sees a drop-off, but it’s still clean with 4ft from the SE (11 seconds) and a solid offshore. Good, fun waves for all.

By Monday the 27th, it’s back to small, ordinary surf.

The real standout here is the stretch from Tuesday the 21st through Saturday the 25th. If you can only pick one session, Wednesday the 22nd morning is the pick of the lot: solid 6ft, very long 12-second period, glassy conditions, and that point break setup will handle the long period beautifully. Just be aware, crowds are possible at Crescent Head, so get in early.

Rusty.

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