Castelejo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on the table for our local stretch.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim. There’s a long, frustrating gap with no decent surf on offer until we get into early September. Most of the time the wind is just howling cross, cross-on, or onshore, and what swell we get is either weak or messy. It’s not a total write-off for the whole period, but you’ll have to be patient.

Sunday, August 23rd kicks things off, but only just. Castelejo (beach and reef) is the only break in the game, and it’s a tough watch. Morning sees a 7ft WNW swell with a moderate 12-second period pushing in, giving us moderate wave energy (1152). The water is sitting at 68°, which is a bit colder than usual for this time – about 3° colder, so you’ll want the thick wettie. The wind is a cross-off from the S at 16 mph, so it’s not totally blown out, but conditions are only marginal and the tide might be funny. Honestly, the afternoon goes downhill quick with the wind picking up and knocking the score down. This is your only real chance to get wet this whole week, and it’s barely worth it.

Monday and Tuesday (Aug 24-25) are a write-off. The swell hangs around a bit but the wind swings cross and cross-on, turning things into a bumpy, choppy mess. Wednesday (Aug 26) the swell drops right off – we’re talking under 3ft and weak energy (51). The rest of the week through to the end of August stays rubbish. The wind doesn’t let up, and the wave quality according to the readings is just poor. It’s a sad stretch with no real windows, and a solid 7-8 day gap where I wouldn’t bother paddling out.

Now, we finally catch a little break on Saturday, September 5th. The morning shows a faint glimmer of hope. Castelejo gets a light ESE breeze at only 3 mph, which is true offshore for the break’s optimum NW direction. You’ll have a 4ft NNW swell, but the period is short at 6 seconds, so it’ll be a bit weak and crumbly, and the energy is light (113). It’s surfable but very ordinary – think small, clean, yet uninspiring waves. The afternoon spoils it again with a cross-onshore wind.

The one standout, the one I’d circle on your calendar, is Sunday, September 6th in the morning. This is the best of a bad bunch. Castelejo will see a 7ft NNW swell, and the wind is light from the NNW at 6 mph – that’s a clean, offshore wind for that swell direction. The waves should be clean, and the wave energy is ramping up (1029). It’s pushing into the 6ft+ range though, so it’ll be a bit too punchy for beginners, more for the lads who know what they’re doing. The sets might come in with some decent power.

Then we roll into Monday, September 7th. The swell is solid again at 6ft, and the period jumps to a beefy 13 seconds – proper groundswell, very long period. That’s got plenty of zap (1757). But the wind is a fresh 19 mph from the N, blowing cross-on, making for lumpy, bumpy conditions. It’s a big tease. Could be some power in the water, but you’ll be fighting a rough surface all session. After that, it’s back into the wind and chop.

Bottom line: Don’t hold your breath this week. The six days from the 23rd to the 29th are mostly a bust. Your real window is the morning of September 6th if you can handle a bit of size. September 5th morning might offer a small, clean crumbler if you’re desperate. The long period pulse on the 7th is all power and no polish. The forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a long wait for a very short dance.

Stay patient, Rusty.

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