Caspar Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the surf for the next couple of weeks.

We’re looking at a stretch where the ocean is going to be working, but it’s not going to be pretty for a while. The northwest swell machine is going to be running, but the wind is just going to be a constant pain in the backside, coming mostly from the northwest and putting a chop on everything. The water is running a bit colder than normal for this time of year, which is something to keep in mind for the first session.

For the next week or so, from August 15th right through to the 23rd, the surf at Caspar Creek is just not worth the effort. The swell is there, but it’s mostly short-period windswell, and the cross-onshore wind is going to have it all chopped up and messy. We’re talking surf in the 2 ft range to start, building to maybe 6 ft by Tuesday the 19th, but the quality is just poor. The energy is weak to moderate at best, with combined energy values sitting between 68 and 720. It’s the kind of surf that will have you fighting the current and paddling over whitewater for nothing. The swell direction is from the northwest, which is okay for this spot, but the wind just ruins any chance of a clean face. This is a stretch where you’re better off finding something else to do.

There is a little bump in size on the 23rd, with a 5 ft northwest swell and a period of 8 seconds, but again, the wind is cross-onshore and it’s going to be lumpy. The energy is moderate (522), but the quality is still poor.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The real standout isn't till the 27th of August. We’ve got the swell really filling in from the northwest, but it comes with a serious caveat. On the morning of the 27th, we’re looking at a solid 10 ft northwest swell with a 9-second period. This is a big, powerful wave, and the combined energy is strong at 1429. But, the wind is still going to be cross-onshore from the northwest, making it a bit of a washing machine. Then, in the afternoon, it jumps to a solid 13 ft! That’s a lot of water. The energy is very strong at 2477. This is big, expert-only territory, and the wind is still not your friend. This continues into the 28th with 10 ft and 12 ft swells. The conditions are officially ‘marginal,’ which I read as ‘you’re going to have to fight for it.’ This is not for the faint of heart. For a sheltered spot like this, a 13 ft northwest swell with that wind is going to be a beast. It’s going to be big, powerful, and challenging. If you’re a strong, experienced surfer, this could be the biggest, most exciting paddle of the summer, but you’ll be earning every wave.

After that, the swell backs down into the 8 ft range on the 29th and beyond, but the wind stays messy and the quality drops back to poor. It looks like a wild ride in the middle, but not a whole lot of clean, makeable waves. The water’s a bit cold, the wind is onshore, and the waves are either too small to care or too big and messy to handle. It’s a waiting game, folks.

Take it easy, Rusty.

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