Redwood Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here with a look at what’s shaping up at Redwood Creek over the next couple of weeks, all in feet, degrees Fahrenheit, and miles per hour.

Redwood Creek is an exposed river mouth that’s rarely breaking and usually only for the advanced crew when it does. The water temperature is sitting at about 58°F, which is within the normal range for this time of year.

Alright, let’s be straight up: the first week is pretty rough. Starting from Saturday the 8th of August right through to the 16th, we’re looking at a whole lot of marginal and poor-rated surf. Swell is mostly in the 4ft to 10ft range, coming from the NW, but the period is short and choppy (7 to 8 seconds). The combined energy is all over the place, from 307 up to a pumping 1761 (strong to very strong wave energy), but with the wind constantly cross-onshore (6 to 12 mph), it’s messy. On Monday the 10th and Wednesday the 12th, the swell gets up over 8ft – that’s expert territory, but with the onshore breeze, it’s not a good look for anyone. Honestly, this stretch looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

We do get a little relief around Saturday the 15th. The swell drops to 2ft to 2ft, but the wind goes glassy and the period jumps way up to 17 seconds. Combined energy is moderate (329). It’s a small, clean window – but for a spot that rarely breaks, it might just be too small to break properly at a river mouth. Still, it’s the best condition-wise in that first week.

Now, the real standout is shaping up for Tuesday the 18th of August. The swell is from the WNW at 4ft to 6ft, with a long period of 13 to 15 seconds – that’s groundswell, lads. The wind is glassy, which is a major positive, and the combined energy hits a strong 740 to 1194 (moderate to strong wave energy). This is the best on offer. That WNW direction is bang on the optimum for the break. Because it’s a river mouth, that long-period groundswell could set up nice and clean, though long period swell can sometimes be tricky on river bars. Still, the 6ft in the afternoon will be a ripper for experienced surfers – the pros will come out. Just be aware, the crowds are often here.

After that, Wednesday the 19th looks okay but not as clean, with the wind shifting cross-onshore again (SW, 6 mph) and the swell dropping back. Into the final weekend (22nd and 23rd of August), the swell is still hanging around 5ft to 6ft from the NW, but the wind picks up (NNW 9-12 mph) and it’s choppy, so poor conditions are back.

In short: there are a lot of days to skip in the first 10 days. The one to circle is Tuesday the 18th of August – that’s your best shot at a clean session at Redwood Creek with some proper groundswell. The rest is a write-off for paddle surfing.

- Rusty

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