Crescent Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. This is a tough one to swallow for the Crescent Head (New South Wales) region. We are looking at a long, lean stretch ahead. The first real glimmer of surfable waves doesn't pop up until the 10th of August, so you’re looking at a gap of nearly a week of pretty ordinary conditions.

The water temp is sitting at 67°F, which is perfectly normal for this time of year, so at least you won't be shocked by a strange chill.

Right now, through the 4th and 5th, we’ve got tiny little knee-high swells, around 2ft to 2ft from the SE and E. The mornings are glassy, which is a cruel tease, but the energy is weak (49 to 79) and the period is short, so it’s just not enough to get excited about. The combination of small swell and onshore wind in the afternoons is a total write-off.

The 6th through the 9th are a real slog. The swell bumps up a touch but the wind is a mess – cross-shore, cross-onshore, and even a strong NNE breeze on the 9th kicking up a choppy 5ft wave. That 5ft swell might sound okay, but it’s attached to a short period and bad wind, so it’s just a messy lump. The combined energy on the 9th afternoon hits 622, but it’s all wind-driven junk. For a point break like Crescent Head, that’s not going to be a pretty sight.

The Standout Window

The best bet of the whole outlook is Monday the 10th of August. We finally get a proper offshore wind from the West, blowing at 12 mph in the morning. This will groom the 4ft, 9-second ENE swell into something clean and rideable. The energy is a decent 276, and the wave comment says "expect good surf conditions". This is the only time the stars align for a decent session. It’s not a huge swell, but with those offshore winds, the point should offer some long, peeling lines. Crowds are possible here, so get there early.

The 11th of August morning is still clean with a light NNW wind, but the swell is back down to 3ft. Worth a look if you’re desperate, but it’s a step down.

After that, the 12th and 13th see a shift in swell direction to the SSW/S. The morning of the 13th has a clean 3ft S swell with light SSW winds, scoring a "good surf conditions" call. It’s a smaller window, but the conditions are tidy.

The 16th of August (Sunday) morning is another one to keep an eye on. A clean 3ft SSE swell with light SSW winds. The energy is 288, and it’s marked as "expect good surf conditions". It’s a long-range call, so keep your fingers crossed.

The Later Window

The 14th and 15th bring some bigger numbers, with a 5ft SSE swell on the 14th and a period stretching to 12 seconds on the afternoon, which is a nice groundswell. The energy hits 494 and 589, but the wind is cross-shore, and the reports are "marginal". That long period is great for a point break, but the cross wind will make it lumpy. For the 15th, the swell is tiny at 1ft with a weird 24-second period, which is a super long period ghost swell that won't have any power.

Overall, it’s a frustrating outlook. The best advice is to wait for Monday the 10th of August and hope the offshore winds deliver. The rest of the fortnight is a game of waiting for the cleanest window of the day.

Rusty.

Read more