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Overview of Waddell Creek
Waddell Creek in Santa Cruz, California, is an incredible surf spot with both reef and beach breaks. The northern and southern tips offer fun reefs, while the middle consists of sand-bottom beach breaks around the river mouth. Waddell Creek provides a breathtaking backdrop and sits at the entrance of a beautiful valley. The location offers a wide range of conditions that satisfy various board riders, from regular surfers to kiteboarders.
The best time to surf Waddell Creek is in the morning since the wind usually picks up in the afternoon. However, if you're lucky, you can score days where it's glassy all day.
What Are the Ideal Conditions for Waddell Creek?
The ideal surfing conditions at Waddell Creek in Santa Cruz include the following:
- Time of Year - Summer and fall are the best seasons for Waddell Creek.
- Swell Direction - The reefs work best with a solid S or W swell. Additionally, the beach breaks in front of the river mouth can handle S and W swells but are very rippable on a combo swell.
- Wave Size - The reefs at Waddell Creek can handle larger swells. However, the sweet spot for both the reefs and beach breaks is in the waist-high to slightly overhead range.
- Wind - Waddell Creek is a highly exposed surf spot and can easily be affected by the wind. The best time to surf at Waddell Creek is when the wind blows offshore from the east or is glassy. During summer, the onshore winds become very strong from late morning to afternoon.
- Tide - Waddell Creek is best on an incoming to high tide. Low tide is typically not a great time to go.
- Crowd Factor - Waddell Creek is out of the way and can be less crowded. However, like any spot, good days will attract a large crowd.
How Do You Get to Waddell Creek?
When driving along the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1), Waddell Creek in Santa Cruz is hard to miss. The beach is easily accessible by parking in the main parking lot.
