Laguna Beach - South Crescent Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what's coming our way for the next couple of weeks over at South Crescent Bay. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, honestly.

We're looking at a long stretch of small, clean-but-weak swell that will keep things pretty average. The water is a balmy 72°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a real treat.

The first surfable window doesn't really open up until the afternoon of Sunday, August 23rd. Most of the time before that, the conditions are just too poor to get excited about. There’s a week-long gap from the start of the forecast with nothing worth paddling out for, just small, choppy surf.

But that Sunday afternoon is the one real standout. Now, the swell is tiny, only 1ft from the SW with a very long 18-second period. That's a pure groundswell. Because it's so small and clean, and the wind is going glassy with a slight air, the waves will be absolutely perfect in shape. This is a break that combines beach and reef, so with that long period, it's going to hold up nicely and offer some clean little lines. The energy is moderate right now (286), so don't expect power, but expect quality. It’s a spot that can get crowded often, but for waves this clean and small, the crew will be out.

After that little tease, we sink back into a string of days with marginal to poor conditions. The swell stays tiny through the end of August, mostly under 2ft, and the wind flicks around from the west and south, keeping things cross-onshore and a bit lumpy. The combined energy drops into the low to mid 100s and 200s, so it's weak.

Late in the window, around the morning of Saturday, August 29th, another pulse of SSW swell arrives at 3ft with a 16-second period. The energy jumps to a strong 504, but the wind is a light cross-onshore. It's the biggest swell of the run, but still small and not likely to be the clean session we saw the weekend before. It's a better prospect for a surfer who wants a little more push, even if it's not glassy.

So, for the best bet, I'm locking in that Sunday afternoon, August 23rd. It's the cleanest and most perfectly shaped wave of the whole outlook, even if you have to manage the crowd. The other option is the late August Saturday morning for a touch more power, but expect some texture on the face.

Stay patient, keep an eye on that Sunday glass-off.

Rusty.

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