Redwood Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Redwood Creek. It’s a river break that’s exposed to the west, and it rarely breaks, so we're not exactly spoilt for choice. We’ve got a long wait ahead. The first decent sign of anything rideable doesn't pop up until the end of the month, and even then, it’s a mixed bag with a lot of marginal conditions.

The outlook kicks off on Friday the 28th of August morning with a small 2 ft swell from the SW, but it’s a long-period 16-second groundswell. The combined energy is weak (311). The wind is onshore, so it’s not doing us any favours. It’s a tough start.

We then have a gap of a few days with nothing worth recommending until the afternoon of Monday the 31st of August. That’s when we see a little window. The swell bumps up to 5 ft from the NW, with a short 7-second period, so it’s more of a windswell. The key here is the wind goes glassy, which is a major positive. The combined energy is moderate (442). For a break that rarely shows, this is the standout moment in the early part of the forecast. It’s not huge, but clean conditions make it the best on offer for a beginner-friendly size.

Then we enter another dry spell. The next real flicker of hope comes on the afternoon of Wednesday the 2nd of September. The swell is still small at 3 ft from the WNW, but the wind turns cross-offshore, cleaning it up. The combined energy is weak (259). It’s not a classic, but it’s a clean, small wave option.

We then have a more significant swell on the 3rd of September. Thursday morning sees 6 ft from the WNW with a moderate 11-second period. The combined energy jumps to a strong 1136. That’s a lot of power heading into the river mouth. However, the wind is light and cross-shore, and the break is described as “rarely breaks,” so this is a bit of a gamble. The size is getting into the intermediate-to-advanced zone. The afternoon drops to 6 ft, still with that strong energy (924), but the wind is cross-onshore, making it choppy.

After that, the surf fades back down. The next real highlight is a bit further out. On the 8th of September, Tuesday morning and afternoon, we get a 3 ft to 4 ft NW swell with a short 9-second period, but the wind is glassy both sessions. That’s clean, small waves. The combined energy is moderate (256 and 406). This is a solid, clean option for a quiet session.

The last real standout in the second week is on the 9th of September. Wednesday afternoon brings a 2 ft SW swell with a very long 18-second period. The wind goes glassy again. The combined energy is moderate (478). That’s a textbook clean, long-period groundswell, but it’s small. For a river break, that long period might make it a bit too straight, but the glassy conditions are a huge positive.

Looking further out, the 11th and 12th of September bring a bigger bump – 7 ft to 8 ft from the NW, with short periods of 8 to 10 seconds. The combined energy is strong (793 and 1122). But the wind is cross-onshore and choppy. This is legitimate size for experts only, but the wind is messy. It’s a powerful, chunky windswell, and with the onshore wind, it’s going to be a battle. Honestly, for a river break at that size with onshore wind, it might be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Overall, the best and most reliable sessions are the glassy ones: the afternoon of the 31st of August, the 8th of September, and the afternoon of the 9th of September. The bigger swells on the 3rd and 11th are there, but the wind and the “rarely breaks” nature of the spot make them a gamble. Keep an eye on the glassy windows.

Rusty.

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