Crescent Beach Surf Guide
Surf spot guide
Ideal Surf Conditions
Swell Direction
NE, E, SE
Wind
SW, W
Surf Height
Knee-high to a few feet overhead.
Tide
All depends on the sand. But if you find a high tide bar, shred it until it’s gone forever.
Crescent Beach Surf Guide
Average, shifty, sand-bottomed beachbreak and the last surfable stretch before the notoriously sharky Matanzas Inlet. This spot doesn’t generally hold big surf, but it can work on a range of tides and swells, and has even been known to turn garden-variety windchop into a fun, peaky experience — all depending on how the sandbars settle. Basically, if the sand’s good in St. Augustine, Crescent Beach will be good. If it’s not, it won’t.
Ability Level
Beginner - Intermediate
Everyone’s welcome, but rippers and thrill-seekers should rip down the road and keep seeking.
Local Vibe
Welcoming
Nada. St. Auggie doggies are as cool as the other side of the pillow.
Crowd Factor
Mellow
Rippers will be elsewhere — in fact, if it wasn’t for Average Joe this might not even be a surf spot.
Spot Rating
Fun
Average Florida beachbreak — until they dredge, then it’s slightly above-average.
Shoulder Burn
Light
Minor. If you want a workout, go paddle-race the sharks at Matanzas.
Water Quality
Fair
Historically passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time.
Hazards
Sharks, jellyfish, sea lice, lightning.
Bring Your
Shortboard, Fish, Funboard, Longboard
Access
Minimal vehicle beach access at the Crescent Beach Ramp. Nominal access fee for beach driving March-August.
Bottom
Sand. Maybe some coarser stuff and random sediment when they’re dredging.
Best Season
September-March
Do you have local knowledge about Crescent Beach?
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