Castles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

The Outlook (Imperial)

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Castles for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – this is a tough stretch. We’re looking at a long, dry spell of poor surf conditions that just won't seem to let up. For the first twelve days, from Thursday the 6th of August right through to Monday the 17th of August, it’s a pretty grim run. The swell is tiny, mostly hovering around 0.7 ft to 4 ft, and the period is short at 5 to 7 seconds, so there’s just no power or shape to work with. The wind is all over the place – cross, cross-on, and choppy – making a mess of what little bump there is. The combined wave energy is weak, sitting between 6 and 122 (122) – that’s not enough to get a decent ride. You’d be better off taking the board in for a repair.

There is a glimmer of something, though. It’s not until Tuesday the 18th of August that we finally see a pulse of life. The morning brings a 4 ft swell from the SSW with a short 5-second period, but the wind is light and offshore, so it’s clean. The combined energy jumps to 93 (93). By Tuesday afternoon, it gets a bit more interesting: the swell bumps up to 6 ft from the S, with a 6-second period and a moderate offshore wind from the NW. That's a proper jump in energy to 256 (256) – moderate wave energy. That’s the standout for the whole outlook. This is a cleaner, more powerful window, but keep in mind that at 6 ft, it’s starting to push into the “too big for beginners” zone. The offshore wind is a major positive; it’ll keep the faces clean.

Wednesday the 19th of August morning holds some promise too, with a 4 ft swell from the S, moderate offshore wind from the NNW, and a combined energy of 163 (163). That’s another solid option. But by Wednesday afternoon, the wind swings onshore and the quality drops off fast.

So, the real takeaway here is: the first twelve days are a bust. Don’t even bother. The best and really only chance to get wet is on Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th of August. Focus on the Tuesday afternoon session if you can – that 6 ft swell with offshore wind is the best we’re going to see. After that, it’s back to small, weak, and messy.

Water temperature is about average for the time of year, so you won’t need a super thick steamer.

Stay patient, mates. It’ll turn around eventually.

- Rusty

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