Castles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s talk feet and miles per hour. It’s a long, flat slog at Castles, no two ways about it. This sandbar is usually a decent beginner spot, but the next 16 days are mostly a bust. We’ve got a big gap of nothing until Monday the 17th, and then another long lull until the very end of the forecast window. Brace yourselves.

Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th are dead – 1ft to 2ft south slop with short intervals and cross-onshore breezes. Water temp is 78°, which is 4° warmer than usual – much warmer than normal, but you won’t need it because there’s no surf.

Monday the 17th morning sees a 4ft south swell with a 6-second period. The energy is weak (142), but the wind is light offshore from the NW, so it’s glassy. The report calls it “surfable but very ordinary.” It’s a 1 out of 10 – tiny, weak, and fat.

Then it goes back to junk. Tuesday the 18th through Monday the 24th are all 0.5ft to 3ft with onshore winds. There’s a brief clean window Thursday the 20th morning with a light offshore breeze from the north, but the swell is only 1ft, energy at 24. Not worth it.

Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th morning bring a 4ft south swell, 6-second period, light cross-offshore wind from the west, clean. Energy hits 126. Still a 1 out of 10 – small and ordinary.

Now, the standout: Friday the 28th of August morning. We’ve got an 8ft swell from the east-northeast, 7-second period, and energy at 631 – that’s strong. The wind is light cross-offshore from the north-northeast, keeping it clean. This is the biggest swell of the outlook. Anything over 8ft is expert-only, so this is for the brave. The short period means it’ll be lumpy and walled on the sandbar, but for power, this is it. Still only a 1 out of 10, labelled “marginal.” Saturday the 29th drops to 7ft from the same direction, but the wind goes cross-onshore, killing the quality.

By Sunday the 30th, we’re back to 4ft from the east, energy at 148, with a gentle cross-shore breeze. Rideable but nothing special.

Bottom line: beginners, stay home. The only true standouts for experienced surfers are Friday the 28th morning – that 8ft east-northeast swell with clean, light offshore wind is the most energy we get (631). It’s big, raw, and the best on offer, but it’s short-period and marginal. Everything else is flat or messy. Keep an eye on the long-range – things can change, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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