Crouching Lion Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for the coming weeks.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead for the Island. The northeast trades are gonna be howling almost non-stop, and they’re blowing right across the face of the waves at Crouching Lion. That’s a recipe for chop and mess, not the clean, peeling lines we dream about. The water temp is sitting right around 80° which is dead average for this time of year, so at least you won't be freezing while you're getting worked.

We’re looking at a proper drought here. From Tuesday, the 11th of August, all the way through the weekend, it’s pretty much a write-off. The swell is there, but that wind is a nightmare. It’s cross-on and strong, building from a moderate breeze up to a fresh 18 to 22 mph by Saturday the 15th. The swell pushes up to 8 ft and then 10 ft, and the combined energy spikes into the thousands (1328, 1791), but it’s all just big, lumpy, wind-affected slop. The period is short, around 6 to 11 seconds, so it’s all wind swell mess. Saturday even has a risk of thunderstorms, which is just insult to injury.

Sunday the 16th afternoon is the first real flicker of hope. The wind finally swings around to a cross-offshore from the SE at 15 mph, and the models are calling it "clean" for the first time. The swell is still a solid 10 ft out of the ENE, with a 10-second period and a ton of energy (1417), but that offshore wind quality makes it the only session worth genuinely considering. Just be aware, at 10 ft, this is strictly for the experienced crew who know their way around a big, raw point break. For the beginners, this is a day to watch from the rocks.

After that little window, it’s back to the same old story. The trades return with a vengeance on Monday the 17th, and the surf drops back down through the 8 ft, 6 ft, and 5 ft range over the following week. The wind stays stubbornly cross-on, and the conditions are consistently described as "poor." The combined energy drops back to the low hundreds (171, 164), which is weak sauce. The waves are there, but they’re just not rideable in any enjoyable way.

So, the one and only standout in this whole 16-day window is that Sunday afternoon, the 16th of August. If you’re an expert and you’ve been jonesing for a paddle, that’s your window. For everyone else? This is a classic case of the trades ruining a perfectly good swell. It’s a long, frustrating gap, but that’s the hand we’re dealt. The wind is just too strong for too long. For a spot like this with that ENE exposure, it might honestly be a better setup for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer for most of this period.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the forecast – it can’t stay this ugly forever.

Rusty.

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