Redwood Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what we’ve got over the next couple of weeks at Redwood Creek.

This is a river mouth set-up that’s exposed to swell from the west, but it’s a fickle break—it rarely breaks, so we’re really working with a narrow window of opportunity here. The water temp is sitting at 56°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises in the wetsuit department.

The first surfable conditions pop up Wednesday morning, August 19th, but it’s nothing to write home about. We’ve got a 3ft swell from the WNW with a period of 12 seconds, and the wind is light and offshore. The wave energy is moderate (425). Still, it’s marginal surf, and the break is inconsistent, so don’t expect much.

Through the rest of that week and into the next, it’s a real mixed bag. Thursday, August 20th, sees a bit more size—4ft in the afternoon—but the wind swings cross-onshore, and the period drops to 11 seconds, so it’s not clean. The energy is still moderate (443). Friday is similar, with small, weak waves. Saturday, August 22nd, is a write-off: poor conditions, small swell, and choppy wind.

Now, Sunday, August 23rd, things get interesting. The morning brings a 6ft swell from the NW, but it’s short-period (8 seconds) and the wind is offshore. That’s a punchy, messy wave, but for the right crew, it might hold some fun ones. The energy is moderate (491). By afternoon, it jumps to 8ft and the wind is cross-onshore, making it a bit of a beast—definitely for experienced surfers only. The combined energy is strong (858). This is the biggest swell of the window, but the quality is questionable.

Monday, August 24th, is the standout. In the morning, we’ve got 5ft from the NW, but it’s the afternoon that really shines. The swell drops to 4ft, the wind goes glassy, and the combined energy is moderate (370). The waves are clean, with that NW swell wrapping in nicely. The wind is dead calm, making for silky conditions. This is the best bet for a good session.

From there, the forecast gets iffy. The swell drops off, and the wind stays messy. By Tuesday, August 25th, we’ve got a 2ft swell from the SW with a very long period of 16 seconds—that’s groundswell, but it’s tiny and the wind is cross-onshore. The energy is moderate (416). The long period means it’ll break straight at the beach, so it’s not ideal for the river mouth.

The last week of August and into September is a grind. Saturday, August 29th, shows 7ft in the afternoon, but the wind is a moderate cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy. The combined energy is strong (668), but it’s not worth paddling out unless you’re a glutton for punishment. Sunday, August 30th, and Monday, August 31st, are similar: biggish swell, poor wind, and poor surf quality.

By Tuesday, September 1st, the swell fades, and the conditions are poor. Wednesday, September 2nd, we’ve got a 2ft swell from the WNW with a 13-second period, but the wind is cross-onshore and the wave energy is weak (243). Not much to get excited about.

Thursday, September 3rd, closes out the window with a 5ft NW swell in the afternoon, moderate energy (525), and light cross-onshore wind. It’s marginal, but it might offer a few fun ones for the persistent.

Overall, the best surf is on Monday, August 24th, with that glassy afternoon session. Other than that, it’s a lot of waiting and hoping for the wind to cooperate. Keep an eye on the forecast, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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