Croatan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Croatan over the next couple of weeks.

To be honest, it’s a pretty grim run for the first ten days. Don’t be fooled by the calendar, because there’s barely a ripple to get excited about. The early part of the window, from Saturday the 11th right through to at least Monday the 20th of July, is a real struggle. We’ve got tiny little waves, poor quality swells, and most of the time the wind is blowing straight onshore or cross-on, messing up whatever crumbly little bumps try to form. It’s the kind of stretch where you’re better off checking the wind forecasts for kitesurfing than paddling out. The combined swell energy is generally weak (15 to 80), with just a couple of brief moments of moderate energy (165 to 230 on the 13th and 14th), but even then, the periods are so short (4 to 7 seconds) the waves just don’t have any push.

Croatan (beach/jetty) is a beginner-friendly spot, exposed to swell from the ESE, which is what the guidance suggests is best. But for most of this first week and a half, the swell direction hardly matches that at all. There is one tiny flicker on Saturday morning the 18th and the following Saturday afternoon – we finally see some light W-wind early (offshore) and then glassy conditions on the 18th afternoon, with 0.8m of NE swell (period just 5 seconds, so it’s windswell). The combined energy is still weak (49 and 47). It’s only just surfable, but most likely very ordinary. You could maybe get a little knee-high roller, if you’re desperate.

The real interest, and I mean the only true standout in the entire 16-day window, comes much later. Look at Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd of July. We finally see a jump in swell size and energy. On Wednesday morning, we get 1.2m from the ENE (a decent direction for Croatan), with a period of 6 seconds and combined energy of 126 (moderate energy). The wind is cross-shore from the north, so it’s not perfect, but it’s cleaner than the onshore junk we’ve had. Then Wednesday afternoon holds 1.1m with similar conditions. Thursday morning pushes up to 1.3m from the E, period 6 seconds, with a combined energy of 124. It’s still a short-period swell, but the consistent size and moderate energy mean there will be some punchy, fast waves for those who know the bank. This is not a beginner day – 1.3m at a beach break can be a bit thumping for the inexperienced – but for the regulars, it’ll be the best session we’ve seen in a while. The water temp is sitting at a touch warmer than normal (80°F), which is about a degree and a half above average for mid-July, so it’s comfortable.

After that, the forecast gets a bit sketchy again, with smaller swells and onshore winds returning for the final few days of the month. So if you’re looking for a window, pencil in the 22nd and 23rd of July – it’s not world-class, but it’s the most wave we’ve got.

Stay patient, keep your eyes on the charts, and don’t bother paddling out until that ENE swell arrives.

Rusty

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