Castaways Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Castaways, the only wave on the radar for the next couple weeks. It’s an advanced, exposed reef break that works best with a SSW swell. It breaks fairly consistently, but this isn’t a beginner spot – you need to know what you’re doing.

The forecast kicks off a bit flat and sloppy. Sunday July 5 is nothing to write home about: morning has a small 3ft SSW groundswell with a very long 16-second period, but a cross-off breeze keeps it average. Afternoon gets a little bigger at 4ft from the SE, but shorter period and moderate wave energy (563). Tide might mess with you too.

Then things clean up. Monday July 6 through Wednesday July 8 start to glass off nicely. Monday morning is glassy with 3ft SSW swell, 15-second periods, wave energy at 656 (moderate). Tuesday is even better: both sessions are glassy, winds nearly zero, swell stays around 3–3ft from the SSW, period 14 seconds, energy 560–625. Clean, fun, small but lined up.

The real standout is Thursday July 9. Both morning and afternoon are dead calm, glassy, with a solid 4ft SSW swell, 14-second period, and wave energy climbing over 1000 (1035 in the morning, 1028 afternoon). That’s strong, quality energy hitting the reef from the ideal direction. Water temp is about normal for the season. Get out early, you might have it to yourself – crowds are only sometimes a problem. The long period will make it run nicely down the reef.

Friday and Saturday, July 10 and 11, continue with glassy conditions, swell around 4–4ft from the SSW (and a brief NW shift Friday morning). Energy stays solid (913 Friday morning). Still fun, but Thursday was the best.

Sunday July 12 sees a S swell building to 5ft, 13-second period, glassy wind, energy at 863. That’s getting into more serious territory – experienced surfers only. That holds into Monday July 13, with 4ft from the S, glassy morning.

Then it turns ugly. From Tuesday July 14 afternoon, it gets cross-on. Wednesday July 15 is onshore S wind at 10 km/h, making it choppy and marginal. Thursday July 16 through Sunday July 19 is a mess: SE wind at 20–25 km/h, cross-on, short-period swell, wave energy dropping, and lumpy conditions. On Monday July 20, a bigger 6ft SSE swell (11 seconds) arrives, but with that strong cross-on wind, it’s just a choppy, poor surf day – more for kite riding than paddle surfing.

Bottom line: if you can make it out on Thursday July 9, that’s your day. Tuesday July 14 afternoon might offer a glassy window with a long period SSW swell, but it’s not as strong. After that, expect a week of poor conditions. Take the good ones while they’re here.

Rusty.

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