Castelejo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the waves on the calendar. It’s a bit of a strange one, so bear with me.

The next couple of weeks are looking pretty rough for a proper paddle. We’ve got a window of small, weak surf and a whole lot of wind messing things up. The first week is mostly a write-off—there’s just not enough push, and the wind is all over the place. We’re looking at a lot of onshore and cross-onshore slop, especially through the 21st to the 26th. There’s some swell, but it’s junky, short-period stuff with a lot of breeze on it. You’d be fighting a losing battle.

The one bright spot early on is Sunday the 16th. It’s not big, but the conditions line up. Early morning will see a glassy 6ft of northwest swell at Castelejo. It’s a beach and reef setup, very consistent, and that clean, slight air will make it feel better than the size suggests. The swell energy is moderate, with a reading of 459 in the morning, dropping a touch to 355 in the afternoon. It’s still clean and glassy. That’s your window if you’re desperate for a wave, but it’s not a world-beater. The water is a bit colder than normal for the time of year, sitting right around 68°, which is noticeable but not crazy.

After that, it’s a long slog. We’re talking about days of poor surf and messy conditions. The swell stays small and weak, and the wind keeps flipping around, mostly from the northwest, which puts us in a bad spot. There’s a lot of days with no real hope. From the 18th to the 28th, it’s a real dry spell. There are a few days with surfable waves but nothing you'd call good. The energy readings are low, often under 200, which tells you it’s just not moving enough.

Now, the standout is at the end of the window, and it’s a big one. On Sunday the 30th of August, the swell is forecast to be huge. We’re talking 10ft on the face, with a longer period of 10 seconds. The energy reading is massive at 1629, which is strong, very strong. The problem is, that’s just too big for this break. The forecast notes say the wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. It would be a washing machine, even if the wind is a gentle breeze. It’s for experts only, and even then, it could be sketchy. If you're not a seasoned charger, give it a miss. You’re better off watching from the cliff.

So, to sum it up: we’ve got one clean but small window on Sunday, then a long, bumpy stretch, and then a potentially epic but dangerous swell on the last day of the month. It’s a waiting game. The long-range stuff looks promising, but it’s a way out, so don't get your hopes up too much.

Rusty.

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