Redwood Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break it down.

We’re looking at Redwood Creek, and the first week is a bit of a grind. The surf starts small and the winds are mostly cross-onshore, so it’s choppy and messy. The combined swell energy is moderate, sitting around 440 to 938 (moderate wave energy). The water temp is about 57°, which is pretty normal for this time of year.

The only real standout in this whole 16-day window is the Friday afternoon session on July 24th. It’s not big, with swell coming in at 2 ft from the SW, but the wind goes glassy. That’s a huge plus – you’ll get clean, smooth waves. The combined energy is a solid 764 (moderate wave energy), so there’s enough push for a fun session on a log or a mid-length. Just remember, Redwood Creek is a river mouth that rarely breaks, so it’s not a consistent spot, and when it does work, it’s for advanced surfers only. Crowds are often, so you won’t be alone.

Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th see a bit more size, up to 3 ft, but the winds are cross-onshore, so the quality drops. The period is short, around 19-21 seconds, which is long-period groundswell, but the wind kills it. The energy is there (up to 938), but it’s not worth paddling out for.

The following week, from July 29th onwards, it gets worse. Swell height stays small, periods drop, and the winds are consistently cross-onshore or onshore, with moderate breezes making it choppy. The combined energy dips to 261 on July 31st (weak wave energy). Nothing to get excited about.

Then we hit the first week of August, and things get serious, but not in a good way for beginners. On August 1st, the swell jumps to 10 ft from the NW, with a very short period of 8 seconds. That’s a lot of windswell, and the combined energy is 1096 (strong wave energy). By August 2nd, it’s up to 12 ft and 2295 (very strong wave energy). This is expert-only territory, and even then, the period is too short – it’s going to be a close-out, messy, and dangerous. The winds are still cross-onshore, so it’s going to be a washing machine. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

August 5th and 6th are the best of the big stuff, with 8 ft to 10 ft NW swell and a period of 10 seconds, combined energy up to 1922 (very strong wave energy). The morning winds are offshore, so there’s a chance of cleaner faces, but the period is still short, so it’s going to be a tough paddle. For experts only.

By August 7th and 8th, the swell drops back to 5 ft-6 ft, and the winds get messy again. The window closes out with poor conditions.

So, to sum it up: the one true standout is the glassy Friday afternoon on July 24th. That’s your best bet. The rest of the window is either too small and messy, or too big and dangerous for anyone but experts. Keep an eye on August 5th and 6th for a possible early morning window if you’re an expert, but the long-range call is less certain.

Rusty.

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