Crouching Lion Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve got to be straight with you – this is a grim run for the next couple of weeks. The only break on the radar is Crouching Lion, a point break that’s exposed to the NE and picks up the trade swell, but the wind is an absolute killer. For the entire forecast window, it’s relentless cross-onshore breeze – mostly a moderate to fresh 12 to 19 mph from the ENE – which is going to leave the surface choppy, lumpy, and generally rubbish. The water temp is sittin’ at 79°, and the anomaly is only +0.2°, so it’s about average for this time of year – no help there.

First surf in the outlook doesn’t show up until Tuesday morning the 7th of July. We start with a 8-ft swell from the ENE, but it’s short-period at 8 seconds and the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-onshore. The combined swell energy is 611 (moderate), but the wave comment says it all: “poor surf conditions.” That’s the theme for the whole first week. Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday – it’s all the same sad story. Swell hangs around 7-ft to 7-ft, period stays between 7 and 8 seconds, and that cross-onshore wind never lets up. The energy sits between 395 and 542 (moderate), but with short, weak peaks and dirty wind, there’s nothing worth paddling out for.

Come Monday the 13th of July, the swell starts to drop a little – 7-ft down to 6-ft by Tuesday the 14th – but the wind is still a stinkin’ cross-onshore. The combined energy drops into the 200s (weak to moderate). By Wednesday the 15th we’re at 5-ft to 6-ft and period down to 6–7 seconds. It’s flat, sloppy, and unrideable.

Now, there’s a little spike on Saturday the 18th of July. The afternoon shows a 6-ft swell from the E, and the period jumps to 10 seconds – that’s a bit of groundswell energy. Combined energy hits 660 (moderate). But the wind is still cross-onshore at 16 mph. It’s a tease. Then Sunday the 19th of July, the swell bumps up to 8-ft from the E, period 8 seconds – that’s a solid size, and with energy at 922 (moderate-to-strong) it’s got some push. But here’s the rub: at 8-ft, that’s expert territory only, and with that cross-onshore wind it’s gonna be a bumpy, ugly mess. Not recommended for anyone. Monday the 20th of July holds 8-ft from the ENE, but again the wind spoils it. The rest of the run into the 22nd drops back to 6-ft to 7-ft with no improvement in conditions.

There is no standout here. The whole 16 days is a write-off for paddle surfing. If you’re a kiter, this constant cross-onshore wind and solid swell at a point break might look interesting, but for a surfer chasing a clean wave? Nothin’ doin’. Crouching Lion is inconsistent at the best of times, and this stretch proves it. A blank run like this is pretty normal for the area when the trades are howlin’ – it’ll come good again when the wind eases or swings.

Rusty.

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