Waddell Creek

📍 Local Knowledge

Waddell Creek in Santa Cruz is an exposed beach and reef break with unreliable waves, best surfable around high tide. Offshore winds usually come from the northeast, and the ideal swell direction is from the southwest, bringing both left and right hand waves. The spot is rarely crowded, but surfers should be cautious of rips, sharks, and rocks. The best conditions happen when a southwest swell combines with offshore winds from the northeast, with the most consistent clean waves occurring during winter, particularly in January.