Santa Cruz Harbour Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the next sixteen days.

Right off the bat, we're looking at a pretty quiet period. The swell is small and inconsistent, so don't expect any pumping sessions. The water’s sitting at a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, about 61°, so that's a nice little bonus if you're getting in.

The first real chance to get wet comes on Tuesday, the 8th of September. Santa Cruz Harbour is seeing a clean 3ft groundswell from the south, with a period of 12 seconds. The morning is glassy, absolute zero wind, which is a major positive. The combined swell energy is moderate at 386, so there's enough push for a fun wave. The afternoon gets a bit of a light breeze on it, knocking it down a notch, but the morning window is the one to aim for. The swell direction from the south is a good match for this spot's optimum from the SSW, so it should be lining up nicely. Keep in mind this is an advanced break, so it's not one for the beginners.

Wednesday the 9th sees the swell drop right off to a tiny 2ft, but the period is a very long 19 seconds. The morning is dead calm, glassy as it gets. The energy is moderate (307), but with that long period, the waves will be clean and lined up, slow and easy to read. It’s a good session for a longboard or a funboard, just don't expect much power.

Thursday the 10th is a bit of a mixed bag. The morning is a little messy with an onshore wind, but the afternoon turns glassy again with a 3ft swell from the SSW and a 17-second period. The energy jumps up to strong at 552, so that afternoon session on Thursday is the standout of the first week. The wind goes glassy, the swell is solid for the spot, and the direction is right on the money. This is the best on offer.

From Friday the 11th through to the 20th, it's a long stretch of poor to marginal conditions. The swell stays tiny, mostly under 2ft, and the winds are often cross or onshore, creating chop. There's a few glassy mornings (like the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th) but with swell heights barely cracking 2ft, it's more about just being out there than catching anything decent. The 12th and 15th afternoons get a 12 mph cross-shore wind, making it pretty much a write-off for paddling but maybe interesting for the kite crew.

Finally, things look a little more promising on Monday, the 21st of September. The morning brings a 3ft swell from the SW with a 17-second period, and it's glassy again. The combined energy is back into the moderate range at 350. It's not a big day, but it will be clean and surfable. The afternoon gets a light cross-onshore, so it’s the morning window that is the pick of the second week.

The 22nd and 23rd are back to the same small, marginal story. There's nothing big or powerful in the forecast, but the glassy mornings give you a few windows to get a few clean, small waves.

Stay patient, pick your windows, and keep an eye on the sky.

Rusty.

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