Castles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty.

To be honest, looking at the full 16-day window, it is a pretty flat and frustrating run for our stretch of coast. We’ve got a long gap of nothing worth paddling out for, and the only real hope is a brief pulse of energy right at the very end of the forecast. The first solid surf recommendation doesn’t show up until the morning of Tuesday the 18th of August, so don’t bother checking the cams before then.

Castles (sandbar) is the only spot in the game here. The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 77°, so that’s a small comfort.

For the first week and a half, it’s a total write-off. Tiny, weak swell, mostly under 3ft with short periods around 5-6 seconds, and the combined energy is pathetic, often in the 40s or 50s. The wind is a mixed bag of cross and onshore, leaving it choppy and messy. There are a few clean early mornings, like Sunday the 9th of August morning with a clean 4ft S swell, but the energy is still weak at 119 and the wave comment says "poor surf conditions." It’s just not worth the paddle.

We get a few clean windows with offshore winds, like Tuesday the 11th of August morning and afternoon, but the swell is tiny (3ft to 3ft) and the energy is still low. There’s a notably glassy morning on Saturday the 15th of August, but the swell is only 2ft from the NE with a tiny 4-second period, making it a total non-event.

The real action, if you can call it a standout, kicks off on the morning of Tuesday the 18th of August. The swell finally bumps up to a clean 5ft from the ESE, with a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy jumps to a moderate 192, and the wind is a clean cross-offshore. This is the first time the surf is actually surfable, and the conditions are clean. The afternoon gets a bit choppy with cross-shore wind, but the morning session is your best bet.

Wednesday the 19th of August sees a bit more size, with the afternoon offering a 5ft ESE swell and a period of 8 seconds. The energy is strong at 325, and the wind swings to a clean cross-offshore, leading to the only "good surf conditions" comment in the whole 16 days. This is the standout. It’s a long-range call, so it’s promising but not guaranteed. The morning is a mess with strong onshore wind, so aim for that afternoon window.

Thursday the 20th of August holds some clean leftover swell, with 4ft in the morning (energy 387) and 3ft in the afternoon, but strong winds make the morning tricky. The morning of Friday the 21st of August is worth a look as well, with a glassy 3ft E swell and a period of 8 seconds, but the energy drops back to 116.

Honestly, the only real highlight in this whole forecast is the afternoon of Wednesday the 19th of August at Castles. It’s not a classic, but it’s the only time the stars align with decent swell and clean conditions. Don’t sleep on it, but don’t hold your breath for the rest of the run.

Rusty.

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