Santa Cruz County, California
Hold off if you can — morning starts out fair with 3-4ft waves.
Hold off if you can — morning starts out fair with 3-4ft waves.
Best window·Monday 11AM–2PM·3-4ft·Good
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.
Sun, Sep 6: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Hold off if you can — morning starts out fair with 2-3+ft waves. Later in the day looks more promising — 3-4ft and very poor.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 15s period, rated Good. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 3-4ft with calm winds. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up. Sea breeze fills back in by mid-afternoon so get on it early.
Tue, Sep 8: 3–4ft, 12s period, rated Good. The sweet spot is around midday — 3-4ft waves, glassy conditions, good conditions. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up.
Wed, Sep 9: 2–3ft, 11s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on S swell at 11s with light N winds. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 8mph and very poor by then.
Thu, Sep 10: 2–3ft, 12s period, rated Poor - Fair. The sweet spot is around midday — 2-3ft waves, calm winds, fair conditions. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning. Don't wait too long — the wind comes back up after lunch.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check Privates from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
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 3-4ft with a 15.4s swell period. Wind is E at 0mph. Conditions are rated Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Privates is 3-4ft, produced by a 3ft SSW primary swell at 15s, a 2.4ft WNW wind swell swell at 4s, a 2.2ft NW tertiary swell at 9s, a 0.8ft W tertiary swell at 13s. 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 Monday from 11 AM to 2 PM with 4ft waves, a 14.1s swell period, and conditions rated 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. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
