Castelejo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at the local situation for our stretch of coast.

Honestly, for the next week and a half, it's a pretty grim picture. The wind is just relentless, howling from the north and northwest, and it's making a mess of things. The swell is there, but it's windy, short-period junk for the most part. The only real glimmer of light is right at the very end of the 16-day window, on the 16th and 17th of August, when the wind eases up and we get a pulse of longer-period groundswell. That's the only time I'd even think about paddling out.

Let's start with the biggest letdown. For the first week, from Monday the 3rd right through to the end of the following week, the wind is a total killer. The surf is on offer, but it's all cross-on and onshore, with wind speeds hitting 19 mph or more. The combined swell energy is mostly moderate, hitting 214 (moderate) on the 6th, but it's all short-period slop at 6-7 seconds. The wind is just too strong. It's a kite-surfing setup, not a paddle-surfing one.

The best I can see is the weekend of the 15th and 16th of August. The water temperature is 66°F which is a solid 4°F colder than usual for this time of year, so you'll want a thicker suit. On the morning of Saturday the 15th, we have a 6 ft swell from the NW with a period of 7 seconds, but the wind is a light, glassy offshore from the NNW at 9 mph. The combined swell energy is a strong 329. By the afternoon, the swell jumps to 7 ft from the NW, still with that light offshore wind, and the energy hits 419. This is solid, clean surf. Then on Sunday the 16th morning, the swell peaks at 7 ft from the NW at 8 seconds, with a very light offshore breeze. The energy is pumping at 581. This is a strong, powerful swell. The break, Castelejo, is a beach and reef setup, so a long-period groundswell like this (8 seconds is solid) can be a bit straight at the beach, but the reef should line it up nicely. The wind is clean, so it will be a good session for experienced surfers – 7 ft is getting up there, so not for beginners. The crowds are listed as "sometimes", so they'll be around, but it's not a circus.

The 17th of August morning still has some size at 5 ft from the NW at 9 seconds, but the wind swings cross-on again, which is a shame. The energy is still strong at 380, but it won't be as clean as the day before.

So, to sum it up: don't bother until the 15th of August. The 16th of August morning looks like the standout, with a solid 7 ft NW swell and clean offshore winds. It's a long way out, so keep an eye on the charts, but that's the one to circle on the calendar.

Rusty.

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