Croatan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ in the water over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a pretty grim picture for Croatan. The whole 16-day window is a real struggle, with nothing even close to a proper surf session. The water temperature is sitting at 77°, which is less than a degree cooler than the long-term average for this time of year, so don’t blame the cold for the lack of waves.

The first few days are a total write-off. Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd are a mess of tiny, weak swell with periods under 7 seconds, and the wind is all over the place – cross-off to cross-on, but it doesn’t matter because the swell energy is barely registering (19 to 132). It’s just poor conditions all around.

We get a tiny pulse of energy on Monday the 3rd, with a combined energy of 209, and swell around 4 ft to 4 ft from the SSE and SE, but the period is just 8 seconds. The wind is cross-off, so it’s clean, but the waves are still rated as poor surf conditions. From Tuesday the 4th onwards, it’s a slow, painful fade. The swell drops back to 2 ft to 3 ft, and the energy dips into the low double digits and single digits. The wind is mostly cross-off, which keeps it clean, but there’s no power – the swell is too small and short period.

There’s a little bump on the 15th of August, a Saturday, with a 4 ft swell from the north, but that’s coming in with a 5-second period and a nasty cross-onshore wind from the NE at 16 mph. That’s nothing but lumpy, choppy slop – more kite-surfing territory than decent paddle waves.

To be honest, there’s no standout day, no hidden gem. This is a long stretch of flat-to-poor conditions. A blank run like this is pretty normal for the area, so don’t be disheartened – forecasts can change, but for now, maybe keep the boards in the shed.

Rusty.

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