Croatan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for the next 16 days around Croatan. I’ll be straight with you—this stretch is a tough one. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with barely a ripple worth getting wet for. The first real glimpse of anything surfable doesn’t show up until late in the game.

The pattern is flat and frustrating. For the first ten days, from the 29th of July right through to the 8th of August, the swell is tiny—mostly 1ft to 2ft from the southeast, with short periods around 4 to 8 seconds. The combined wave energy is weak, sitting in the low-to-mid double digits (mostly 19 to 36). Winds are a mixed bag, but the surf is consistently described as “poor surf conditions.” A few mornings do offer clean conditions with offshore or cross-off breezes, like Wednesday the 29th morning with a 2ft SE swell at 7 seconds, but the wave height is just too small to do anything with. It’s a real bummer.

There’s a slight uptick on the 3rd of August (Monday morning), where the combined energy finally bumps up to 91, but the swell is still only 3ft from the SE at 7 seconds. The wind is cross-off, so it’s clean, but the waves are weak and crumbly. Still not worth calling in sick for.

The most promising window comes right at the tail end of the forecast. On the 13th of August (Thursday morning), we finally see a bit of life. Swell picks up to 3ft from the SSE with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy is 83. It’s still not big, but the wind is a light SW cross-off, almost glassy. The water temp is about 76°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so grab a spring suit. This is the standout session if you’re itching for a paddle, but it’s still just “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” Keep expectations low.

The rest of the period sees a return to tiny, weak swell and onshore winds. There’s a glassy morning on the 11th of August (Tuesday) with 2ft from the SSE, but the energy is a meager 23. It’s honestly more of a flat spell than a surf forecast.

So, the best bet is the morning of the 13th of August at Croatan. It’s clean, the swell direction is okay for the break (optimum from ESE, we’re getting SSE), and it’s the only time the energy cracks into the 80s. For a beginner break, it’s about as good as it’s going to get in this run. But honestly? It’s a long way off, and I wouldn’t hold your breath. The crowds are “often” here, so even on a marginal day, you might have company.

Stay tuned, and maybe clean the wax off your board for that 13th.

Rusty.

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