Redwood Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what we've got cookin' at Redwood Creek. It's a river mouth set-up, and I gotta be straight with you – this stretch of the forecast is a real tough one to love. The whole 16-day window is a grind, with nothing that screams "drop everything and go." We're looking at a long, drawn-out stretch of marginal conditions, with no proper standouts to really get excited about. The water's sittin' at a nippy 53°, a full two degrees colder than it should be for this time of year, so you'll want a good hood.

We kick off on Thursday, the 2nd of July. Morning sees a 6ft NW swell, period of 8 seconds, and a light cross-on breeze. That's not terrible for size, but the wind is just messin' with the surface enough to keep it from being clean. The wave energy is reading a moderate 501, but the comment's already callin' it marginal. Afternoon gets a bit bigger, 7ft, but the wind picks up and it gets choppy. Not a great start.

Friday the 3rd is much the same story. A 5ft NW swell in the morning with a light onshore flow. It's cleanish, but the period drops to 7 seconds, so it's gonna be a bit weak and crumbly. The afternoon sees the wind howling up to 12 mph, just wrecking any hopes for a session. Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th are carbon copies – waist to chest-high NW swell, 8-second period, but always that cross-on wind. The wave energy fluctuates between 499 and 679, so it's there, but it's never quite right.

Monday the 6th is the one little flicker of hope in this first week. The morning has a 5ft NW swell, still 8 seconds, and light winds. It's okay. But the afternoon is interesting – 5ft swell, but the period jumps to 11 seconds. That's a proper groundswell pulse. The wave energy hits 865, which is solid. The problem is the cross-on wind is still there, so it's gonna be bumpy. This long-period, open beach break setup can be a bit straight and tricky, though. It’s still just a marginal call.

Then we hit a weird bit. Tuesday the 7th, the size just drops off a cliff. We're lookin' at 2ft to 2ft from the SW with a super long 19-20 second period. The energy is still there (725 and 519), but that's all from the long lines, not from any push. That's the sort of day you only go out with a log if the tide is absolutely perfect, and only for a long lull between sets. Wednesday the 8th is the same story – tiny, long interval swell, but the afternoon winds get strong again, making it a total mess.

The 9th of July is where it gets a bit hairy. Thursday morning, we see a 7ft NW swell, and by afternoon it's 8ft with a period of 8 seconds and 16 mph cross-on wind. That's a lot of water moving around quickly, with a moderate breeze making it choppy and gnarly. This is for experts only, and even then, the wind is just gonna turn it into a washing machine. The energy is a strong 1202 in the afternoon.

The second week drags on with the same tired pattern. Friday the 10th keeps the 6ft to 7ft NW swell, but again, cross-on wind. Saturday the 11th, same thing. It's like being stuck in a loop. Sunday the 12th, the morning is clean with light onshore wind for a 6ft NW swell. That's probably the best of the bunch in this whole period, just because the wind is manageable.

Then, finally, on Monday the 13th of July, we get a glimpse of what could have been. The afternoon has a 6ft NW swell, and the wind goes glassy. Absolutely flat calm. The forecast says "expect good surf conditions." This is it. This is the only window in the whole 16 days where the stars almost align. But it's still a rare break, so you gotta be on it. It’s a moment of pure potential. Tuesday the 14th is back to small and light wind.

The very end of the run, from the 15th to the 17th of July, sees the swell direction shift to the WNW and the period goes long again, but the size is tiny – only 3ft. The 19-second period will make those waves fat and slow at a river mouth. The wind is light and onshore, so you could maybe, just maybe, catch a few, but it’s a long paddle for not much reward.

Honestly, for this region, a blank run is more normal in this setup. The swell comes and goes, but the wind rarely plays ball. If you absolutely have to paddle, aim for that Monday afternoon the 13th of July with the glassy conditions. And for the love of god, bring a hood. Otherwise, it's a kite surfer's game here, especially on those 9th of July afternoon winds.

Rusty.

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