Surf spot

Murph Bar

Forecast conditions and map view for Murph Bar in USA, California, Santa Cruz. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, California, Santa Cruz
Coordinates: 36.9607, -122.0005

Metric
Metric	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00
Wave height (m)	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.4	0.5	0.7	1.1	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.4	1.3	0.9	1.3	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.4	1.3	1.3	1.2	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5
Wave direction	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WSW	WSW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	SW	SSW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	S	S	S	S
Wave period (s)	8.3	8.4	7.8	8.4	12.2	11.6	6.5	6.1	7.7	5.5	5.2	5.7	11.8	10.3	5	5.3	5.5	6	6.2	6.3	7	7.5	6.3	6.2	6.3	6.5	6.5	6.5	6.5	6.3	6	6	6	6.1	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.4	6.1	6	6	6.6	8.5	8.4	8.2	6.7	8.3	8.7	8.6	8.4	12	11.9	11.9	11.8
Wave energy (kJ)	80	96	87	87	80	84	33	50	61	28	28	26	50	45	26	69	98	118	136	167	168	96	136	161	186	192	195	197	173	145	124	104	94	93	98	98	100	98	91	82	66	56	48	50	71	61	55	35	47	47	43	42	78	71	71	64
Wind speed (km/h)	1.6	6	6.6	10.5	12	15.3	9.7	7.7	5.1	3.3	2.1	7.9	14.9	26.5	16.1	4.8	5.2	2.5	2.3	8.8	12.5	4.6	8.4	8.5	5.5	5.6	5.2	7.8	12	12	6.3	3.1	4.5	4	4.3	9.1	12.7	12.6	5.2	4.2	3.7	1.9	1.8	8.2	13	12.2	5.6	2.9	3.6	3.2	4.8	9	12.2	7.1	12.8	4.3
Wind direction	SSEGlassy	ESECross-on	ESECross	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	WNWCross-off	NOffshore	NNWOffshore	NOffshore	NNEGlassy	NNWGlassy	SWCross-on	WNWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	NNWGlassy	ESECross-on	EGlassy	ENEGlassy	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	ENEGlassy	ESECross-on	ESECross	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	ESECross	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSEGlassy	SSEGlassy	SGlassy	SGlassy	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SSEGlassy	ESEGlassy	ESEGlassy	SEGlassy	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	ESEGlassy	SEGlassy	ESEGlassy	ESEGlassy	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SSWOnshore	ECross	EGlassy

Murph Bar is a surf spot in Santa Cruz, California, known as part of the region’s classic Northern California surf zone. It’s generally associated with the Santa Cruz Harbor/Municipal Wharf area, where the coast gets frequent swell and a mix of beachbreak and reef-influenced waves.

Quick description

Location: Santa Cruz, California, USA
Wave type: Mostly beachbreak with some nearby sandbar/reef influence depending on conditions
Best swell: Works best on NW to W swells, with good local wind and tide alignment
Typical conditions: Can be punchy and hollow on the right setup, but often changeable because sandbars shift
Skill level: Usually intermediate to advanced when it’s solid, though smaller days may be more approachable

What it’s like

Murph Bar is the kind of Santa Cruz spot that can light up when swell lines up, offering fast, energetic waves rather than a mellow cruiser setup. Like many Santa Cruz breaks, it can be sensitive to tide, swell direction, and wind, so the quality can vary a lot from day to day.

Things to know

Crowds: Santa Cruz surf spots can get busy, especially when conditions are good
Local behavior: Respect local etiquette and right-of-way
Hazards: Strong currents, shifting sandbars, and inconsistent break shape depending on conditions