Redwood Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s happening at Redwood Creek. It’s a river mouth setup that rarely breaks, so keep your expectations in check – this is one of those spots that needs everything to line up just right.

Looking at the whole 16-day window, there are no true standout days. The outlook is a long stretch of marginal, choppy conditions with cross-onshore winds messing things up most of the time. There’s a bit of a gap after the first few days where the surf quality just isn’t there.

We’ll start on Tuesday morning, July 7th. There’s a 4ft swell from the NW with a moderate energy reading of (828), and a light WNW breeze that’s technically offshore. The direction isn’t ideal for this spot though, and the period is a short 11 seconds, so it’s a bit all over the place. It’s not great.

Wednesday morning, July 8th, sees a much smaller 2ft SW groundswell with a very long 18-second period. The energy is still moderate (686), and the wind is light and offshore from the NW. That long period should offer some shape, but the size is tiny and the break is inconsistent. It’s a maybe for the most patient surfer.

The next real pulse comes in on Thursday, July 9th, but the wind is a light cross-onshore from the NW and the period drops to just 8 seconds. The swell builds from 6ft to 8ft in the afternoon, with energy climbing to (994), but that short period and choppy wind will make it a messy, bumpy wall.

Friday, July 10th, offers a bit of hope with a 6ft NW swell and a light offshore wind in the morning, but it’s still only an 8-second period and the energy is weaker at (614). The afternoon deteriorates into poor conditions. It’s a fleeting window.

Saturday, July 11th, the swell drops to 2ft with a long 14-second period, but the wind is onshore and it’s not enough to work with. The following days through to Thursday, July 16th, are a blur of small, short-period, choppy junk with persistent cross-onshore winds. There’s nothing to recommend.

We get a bit of a bump again on Friday, July 17th, with a 5ft NW swell and a light offshore wind in the morning. The energy is a solid (941) and the 10-second period is okay, but the break rarely fires, so it’s a low-percentage play.

Saturday, July 18th, is the biggest swell of the period. The morning sees 7ft NW at 8 seconds and a light offshore breeze, with energy climbing to (1094). By the afternoon it jumps to 10ft from the NW, but the period is still a short 8 seconds and the wind switches to a gentle cross-onshore. That’s a lot of water with no real power or clean face – it’ll be a washing machine. For most, that’s too big and too messy for a river mouth. Only experts should even consider it.

Sunday, July 19th, offers a 7ft NW swell with a light onshore wind, dropping to 6ft on Sunday afternoon with a slight offshore. The energy is moderate, but the break is just so inconsistent that you can’t rely on it.

The close of the 16 days on Wednesday, July 22nd, sees another 7ft NW swell with a light offshore wind in the morning and a 9-second period. The energy is strong at (1305), but again, it’s an inconsistent river mouth with a tricky tide and a short-period windswell. It’s a gamble.

Honestly, for this stretch, the whole setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a traditional paddle surfer, given the persistent cross-onshore winds and short-period chop. If you’re dead set on giving it a go, keep an eye on the mornings with light offshore winds, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

Read more