Castelejo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Grab a coffee, because it’s gonna be a flat, frustrating stretch for the most part. We’re looking at a real famine in the surf department for the next two weeks and change.

The opening days are a complete write-off. We’ve got a very consistent, exposed beach and reef set-up at Castelejo (West Coast) but the wind is just hammering it. Through Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st, we’re looking at fresh cross-onshore breezes in the 15 to 22 mph range, with weak swell around the 3 to 4 ft mark. That’s a recipe for choppy, lumpy, poor surf. The combined energy is weak too, barely scraping into the double digits (242, 318, 323). It’s not surf, it’s just a mess. The first few days of September aren’t any better, with moderate energy in the 200s (365, 247) and more lumpy conditions.

There’s a tease mid-week. On the morning of Thursday the 3rd, it goes glassy as the wind drops to next to nothing. There’ll be a few clean little 4 ft waves with a period of 7 seconds, but that’s weak, short-period stuff and the energy is still weak (130). It’s surfable, but you’d be lying if you said it was good. The water’s a bit colder than normal for the time of year, sitting at about 68°, so it’s a touch fresh.

Friday the 4th sees a brief bump in size to 4 ft, but it’s cross-on and lumpy, then the afternoon drops to a tiny 2 ft, even though the period jumps to 13 seconds. That’s a real kick in the teeth.

The only real window we get is on Saturday the 5th. The morning is still marginal, but the afternoon shapes up nicely. The wind goes completely calm and glassy, and we’re looking at a clean 5 ft of west-northwest swell with a 10-second period. The energy climbs to a moderate 495. This is the best on offer by a long shot. It’s not going to be a classic, but it’s clean, and after this run, clean is king. However, be aware this is an exposed spot, and even with a glassy surface, those long-period swells can make a beach break close out. It might be a bit full for the beginners, but it’s the one to paddle out for.

Then the plug gets pulled. From Sunday the 6th all the way through the 14th, it’s a desert. The swell drops, the wind comes back from the north and northwest in force, and everything gets lumpy and blown out. The combined energy is mostly weak, dipping as low as 97, and the wave heights are in the 2 ft to 6 ft range, but it’s all junky. There’s a brief moment on the 10th with a bit more size (6 ft) but the period is short at 8 seconds, the wind is fresh, and it’s poor. This entire second week is a write-off. If you see anything on the charts for the 12th or 13th, don’t get excited, it’s still junk.

It’s a tough outlook. This spot is very consistent, which means it doesn’t tend to stay this flat and messy for long. So keep an eye on the charts, because with this much consistency, it should change. But for now, Saturday afternoon is the only ticket you have. I’ll be there, hoping for a couple of clean ones. Until next time, keep your board waxed and your head up.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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