Caspar Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a pretty grim stretch ahead for Caspar Creek. The entire 16-day window is plagued by persistent cross-onshore winds out of the northwest, which are gonna keep the surface chopped up and messy. The swell is there, but it just never lines up right. We go straight into the period with no surf worth paddling out for, and that poor quality hangs around for the first week or so.

The first glimmer of something interesting comes around July 17th, but it’s still not good. The swell direction swings to the WNW, and the period jumps right up to 17 seconds with the combined energy reading 917 (moderate). It’s a proper groundswell, but it’s still cross-on and the wave comment is “poor surf conditions.” The swell is small, around 3 ft (0.9m), so it’s not a total washout, but the wind just ruins it.

Things start to get a bit more interesting, but not exactly clean, around July 20th. We get a pulse of 7 ft (2.2m) swell from the northwest, with a period of 8 seconds. The wind finally drops off a bit to a light breeze from the WNW, and the conditions are described as “light cross-onshore with small wind ripples.” The combined energy jumps to 1153 (strong). It’s still marginal, but it’s the best we’ve seen.

The biggest swell of the forecast hits around July 25th and 26th. We’re looking at 10 ft to 13 ft (3.0m to 4.0m) from the northwest. That’s serious size, only for the experienced crew. With combined energy reading between 1766 and 2586, it’s strong to very strong wave energy. But again, the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s going to be a bumpy, challenging beast. The Sunday morning on the 26th has a 12 ft (3.5m) northwest swell, period 9 seconds, and still a cross-on breeze.

The best bet I can see, and it’s a real “if the stars align” call, is the Monday afternoon on July 20th. It’s the only window where the wind relaxes to a light breeze, giving us a slightly cleaner surface. The 7 ft (2.2m) swell from the northwest is solid, and the combined energy of 1153 is strong. It’s no glassy perfection, but it’s the closest thing to a worthwhile session in this whole forecast. The crowds at Caspar Creek are often there, so expect company.

Keep in mind the water is running a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so a good wetsuit is a must. For this setup, with the persistent cross-shore wind and decent sized swell, this stretch might actually be more interesting for the kite surfers than us paddle guys.

Stay patient, and check the forecast again in a few days.

Rusty.

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