Surf: General: Average, shifty, sand-bottomed beachbreak and the last surfable stretch before the notoriously sharky Matanzas Inlet. This spot doesn’t generally hold big surf, but it can work on a range of tides and swells, and has even been known to turn garden-variety windchop into a fun, peaky experience — all depending on how the sandbars settle. Basically, if the sand’s good in St. Augustine, Crescent Beach will be good. If it’s not, it won’t. Tides: All depends on the sand. But if you find a high tide bar, shred it until it’s gone forever. Size: Knee-high to a few feet overhead. Wind: SW, W Swell: NE, E, SE Bottom: Sand. Maybe some coarser stuff and random sediment when they’re dredging. Paddling: Minor. If you want a workout, go paddle-race the sharks at Matanzas. Spot Rating: Average Florida beachbreak — until they dredge, then it’s slightly above-average. Access: Minimal vehicle beach access at the Crescent Beach Ramp. Nominal access fee for beach driving March-August. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Rippers will be elsewhere — in fact, if it wasn’t for Average Joe this might not even be a surf spot. Local Vibe: Nada. St. Auggie doggies are as cool as the other side of the pillow. Environment: Historically passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time. Hazards: Sharks, jellyfish, sea lice, lightning. Season: September-March