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 Fair. Aim for the middle of the day — 1-2ft on WNW swell at 14s with light winds out of the NW. 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, May 26: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Fair - Good. Hold off if you can — morning starts out fair with 2-3ft waves. Size picks up through the day, hitting 5ft with fair - good conditions by late afternoon.
Wed, May 27: 7–7ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. Patience pays off today — morning is poor - fair with 7ft. Later in the day looks more promising — 7ft and poor - fair.
Thu, May 28: 3–4ft, 20s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 5ft waves on WNW swell at 11s and calm winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the SSW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Fri, May 29: 3–4ft, 16s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on WNW swell at 16s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph 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 1-2ft with a 14.4s swell period. Wind is NNW at 0mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Privates is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.6ft WNW primary swell at 14s, a 1.4ft WNW secondary swell at 9s, a 1.2ft SSW 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 Wednesday from 1 PM to 4 PM with 7ft waves, a 12.45s 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.
