Castles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Castles over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be honest with ya, it’s a bit of a mixed bag, and for a lot of the time, you might be better off doing something else. The water temp is sitting at 77°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick wetsuit.

We start off with a bit of a dud. Saturday the 18th is a write-off with rain showers and a risk of thunderstorms. The swell is tiny or messy, with poor conditions all day. Not worth paddling out for.

Sunday the 19th is where we get the first proper chance. The morning kicks off with a clean 4ft swell from the S, and a light offshore wind from the NW. The combined swell energy is only moderate (132), but the conditions are clean. It’s a small wave, but for a beginner-friendly sandbar on a fairly consistent break, this is about as good as it gets in this outlook. The afternoon turns glassy with a 3ft S swell – even cleaner, but the energy drops off. If you’re a learner or just want a fun, small wave, Sunday morning is your standout.

Monday the 20th through to Tuesday the 22nd is pretty grim. The wind is all over the place, and the swell, while getting bigger, is accompanied by poor to marginal conditions. Wednesday the 22nd is interesting, but dangerous. We get a 8ft S swell with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to a strong 842. That’s a lot of power. The wind is cross-shore and lumpy though, making it a mess. That’s expert territory in size, but with the chop, it’s not a recommendation for anyone.

Thursday the 23rd offers another clean session. A 4ft S swell with clean offshore NW wind in the morning, and light offshore in the arvo. The energy is still moderate (170-180), making it a solid, surfable day for the more experienced beginners.

After that, it’s a long, frustrating run. From Friday the 24th all the way to Sunday the 2nd of August, there are no good surf options. The wind is often onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell is small, weak, and messy. There’s a brief moment on Sunday the 26th with a glassy 4ft SSW swell, but the energy is weak and the afternoon turns to chop. A couple of days at the end of July and start of August have clean, offshore winds, but the swell is tiny – under 3ft and with very low energy. Nothing worth getting excited about.

So, the honest truth is, if you’re free, get out there on Sunday the 19th. That’s your one real chance for clean, small waves. The rest of the window is either messy or flat. It’s a tough run, but forecasts can change.

- Rusty

Read more