Crescent Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Crescent Head over the next two weeks.

First up, we’ve got a bit of a slow start with a few days of small, average waves. The standouts in this forecast are definitely the Monday morning of the 31st of August, and then the Monday morning of the 7th of September. Those are the sessions to circle on the calendar.

Things kick off with a bit of a shrug on Wednesday afternoon, the 26th of August. There’s a 3ft swell from the ENE, but it comes with a risk of thunderstorms and a cross-off wind from the south at 12 mph. The overall energy is weak (124), so it’s pretty ordinary. Thursday the 27th sees a bump in size to 5ft from the south in the morning, but the wind is still cross-off. The energy is moderate (490), but the short period of 7 seconds means it’s a bit junky.

Friday morning the 28th of August is a nice little window. We get a 3ft SSE swell with glassy conditions and barely a breath of wind from the NNE at 3 mph. The period is a solid 9 seconds, and the energy is moderate (340). That’s clean, fun-sized surf for a beginner-friendly point break. The afternoon turns to a 4ft swell but the wind goes onshore, so it’s out.

The weekend is a mixed bag. Saturday the 29th morning has a 4ft SSE swell, cross-off wind, and clean conditions. The period is 10 seconds, giving it a bit of shape. The afternoon picks up to 6ft, but the wind goes cross, and the energy jumps to strong (1011) – that’s a lot of power, but the wind messes it up. Sunday the 30th morning is similar – 4ft SSE, clean, and cross-off wind. Nice, but not a standout.

The first real standout is Monday morning, the 31st of August. We’re looking at a 5ft south swell, 8-second period, with a cross-off breeze from the southwest at 6 mph. The energy is moderate (591) and the report says “expect very good surf conditions.” The water temp is 68°, which is about average for this time of year. This is the best on offer in the first week for sure.

Through the first week of September, things get small. Tuesday the 1st has tiny 3ft waves, and Wednesday the 2nd is even smaller. Thursday the 3rd brings a weird, long-period groundswell at 20 seconds, but only 1ft. That’s a lot of wait between sets for a wave you can barely stand up on. Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th are tiny and glassy, great for a paddle but not for surfing.

The second standout, and the best of the whole forecast, is Monday morning, the 7th of September. This one is 6ft from the SSE with a 12-second period. The wind is a light cross-off from the southwest at 3 mph, and the energy is strong (857). The report says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is a proper groundswell, and with the offshore wind and clean conditions, Crescent Head will be firing. The size is right for most intermediate surfers, but it’s a solid wave, so beginners should be cautious. The afternoon sees the wind swing to a strong cross-shore, so get it early.

After that, Tuesday the 8th drops to 5ft, and the wind goes cross-on, making it choppy. The rest of the week falls off again with small, poor waves.

So, if you’re looking for the best sessions, it’s the morning of Monday the 31st of August and the morning of Monday the 7th of September. The 7th is the bigger, cleaner, and longer period swell – that’s the one I’d be most excited about.

Rusty.

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