Redwood Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’ve got a 16-day window, but honestly, the first week is a bit of a struggle. We’re looking at mostly small, weak swells with a lot of cross-onshore wind messing things up. The best bet on the whole horizon is the very end of the run – a promise of something bigger, but it’s a long way off.

Redwood Creek is our only spot, and it’s a river mouth that rarely breaks. The first week is a real grind. From Wednesday the 26th through to Monday the 7th of September, the swell is tiny, mostly under 3ft, with a few exceptions. The wind is nearly always a cross-onshore, which chops the surface up. The water temp is sitting at 59°, about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

There are a few mornings with that light offshore wind, like Saturday the 29th of August with a 2ft SW swell (very long 18-second period, combined energy of 307), but the size is so small and the break is so inconsistent it’s really just a knee-high wobbler. Not worth paddling out for.

The real interest is in the second week. The swell starts to build. On the 8th of September, Tuesday morning, we’re looking at a 5ft NW swell (9 seconds, combined energy of 520) with a light cross-onshore. That’s still a bit messy. But then Tuesday afternoon, the wind shifts to a light offshore, and the swell jumps to 12ft from the NW with an 8-second period and a combined energy of 1681. That’s a lot of juice, but that short period and that size at a river mouth? That’s expert-only territory, and it’s going to be a thumping, short-interval closeout. The Wednesday morning (9th of September) is similar, 8ft NW (9 seconds, 1083 energy) with a light offshore, which is a bit more manageable but still heavy.

The standout window is from the 8th of September onwards. The north-west swell is pumping, but the quality is going to be a question mark with that short period. For a river break, you want a longer period to get some shape, but this is just raw power. That Tuesday afternoon (8th of September) with the offshore wind and 12ft swell is the biggest, most powerful day on offer. It’s the one to circle on the calendar, but keep your expectations in check for the shape. The crowd factor is listed as “often” here, so when it’s on, you won’t be alone.

In summary, the first week is a washout. The second week gets big, but it’s a short-period, expert-only affair. The best of the lot is the 8th of September afternoon, but it’s going to be heavy and raw. Conditions are more interesting for kite surfing than a standard paddle session on the 8th of September afternoon.

Stay patient, and check back in a few days.
Rusty.

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