Santa Cruz County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Privates, Santa Cruz County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Mon, May 25: 1–2ft, 14s period, rated Poor. Skip the dawn patrol — 1-2ft and poor early on. Afternoon shapes up better with 1-2ft and poor - fair conditions.
Tue, May 26: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on W swell at 13s with 8mph NW winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 15mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Wed, May 27: 7–7ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 7ft waves on WNW swell at 13s and moderate WNW wind around 8mph. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Thu, May 28: 3–4ft, 21s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 5ft waves on WNW swell at 11s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 8mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Fri, May 29: 5–5ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on WNW swell at 16s and calm winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the SW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
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Privates is a quality right-hand reef break just east of The Hook, accessed through the gated Opal Cliffs Recreation District (membership key required, which gave it its name). The gate filters the crowd to a manageable level by Santa Cruz standards and the wave is a serious step up from The Hook — longer, faster, and breaking over bouldery reef. Without a key, you are paddling from 41st Ave.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Privates is 2-3ft with a 15.25s swell period. Wind is SSW at 3mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Privates is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.6ft WNW primary swell at 9s, a 1.3ft SSW secondary swell at 15s, a 1.3ft WNW tertiary swell at 15s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Privates is Thursday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 5ft waves, a 20.15s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Privates works best with a WSW swell and NE winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Privates. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Privates is a reef with a reef bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Privates is a quality right-hand reef break just east of The Hook, accessed through the gated Opal Cliffs Recreation District (membership key required, which gave it its name). The gate filters the crowd to a manageable level by Santa Cruz standards and the wave is a serious step up from The Hook — longer, faster, and breaking over bouldery reef. Without a key, you are paddling from 41st Ave.
The prime season at Privates is winter, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Privates include rocks, reef, cold water, localism, gated access. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Privates forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable. Extended forecasts show general trends. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
