Croatan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what the next couple of weeks have in store for us around Croatan.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – this is a pretty bleak stretch of days. The first week and a half is mostly a write-off with tiny, weak slop and wind that’s all over the shop. We’re talking poor surf conditions day after day. The water is warm though, sitting at 81°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won't be cold while you’re sitting there waiting for something to ride.

We start off the period on Tuesday the 8th in the morning with a clean sky but a light onshore ENE breeze at 3 mph. The swell is a paltry 2 ft from the ENE with a period of 9 seconds. Wave energy is weak, only 77, and the wave comment says it all: "poor surf conditions". The afternoon doesn't get any better, wind swings SE and picks up. Wednesday and Thursday are the same story – tiny, disorganised mush with cross-shore winds. Friday and Saturday follow suit. You get the picture.

Now, there’s a bit of a glimmer on Sunday the 13th in the morning. We get a glassy, dead-calm morning with a tiny 1 ft swell from the ESE with a 10-second period (51 energy). It’s surfable, just barely, but very ordinary. A possible dawn patrol for a longboard if you’re desperate. Then Monday the 14th morning sees a light offshore wind from the WNW at 3 mph and the same tiny 1 ft ESE swell (45 energy). Clean, but again, really small. These are the only two sessions that even rate a 1 out of 10.

After that, we’re back into small, messy junk until we finally get a pulse of energy on Saturday the 19th morning. Out of nowhere, the swell bumps up to 6 ft from the NE at 7 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 302 – that’s moderate wave energy finally. The wind is light from the N, so it’s a slight cross-shore. This is the biggest surf of the whole outlook, but it’s still a "marginal" call. The period is short (7 seconds), so it’ll be a bit fat and crumbly, not the cleanest. Definitely the pick of a bad bunch, but don't expect perfection.

After that spike, it fades back into the 4 ft to 5 ft range through the 20th and 23rd, but with onshore winds of 12 to 16 mph, it’s just choppy, blown-out crud.

The standout: Look, there's only one true standout, and it's a relative one. That's Saturday the 19th morning at Croatan. At 6 ft from the NE, it's the biggest swell we get, and with the light wind, it will be the least messy option. It might be a bit too much for a pure beginner at that size, but for the rest of you, that's the only day to circle. It’s over a week away (Saturday the 19th), so keep an eye on it.

The reality: Honestly, if you're a kite surfer, the afternoons with 12-16 mph side-onshore winds and waist-high chop might look more interesting than anything we have for paddling. For surfers, this is a long, frustrating gap. Hang in there, tides and forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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