Castles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a lean, quiet stretch. We’re looking at a long gap of surf that’s not really worth paddling out for, starting right now and running through most of the first week. The first real chance to even think about a wave comes later on, but it’s not a slam dunk.

The only break on the radar is Castles, a sandbar setup that’s fairly consistent but we’re mostly staring at poor surf conditions. The water is currently sitting at 77°, which is a solid 6° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s pretty unusual, so you’ll be warm in a spring suit or maybe just boardshorts if you’re tough.

The first sniff of anything surfable doesn’t arrive until Thursday, the 10th of September. That morning, we’ve got a weak 3ft swell from the SSW, with a short period of 6 seconds. The wind is offshore from the WNW at 12 mph, so it’ll be clean. The combined energy is only 99 – weak. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Don’t get your hopes up. That afternoon, it drops back down.

Then we hit another dry spell. Nothing doing on Friday the 11th, Saturday the 12th, or Sunday the 13th – just tiny, onshore, or messy signals. The morning of the 12th has glassy conditions but with a tiny 1.0ft swell – pretty much a lake paddle.

We start to see something change around the middle of the second week. On Tuesday the 15th, the afternoon picks up a bit – 4ft from the ENE, but with a short period of 6 seconds and a cross-shore wind. The combined energy is 113, so moderate, but the conditions are still poor. Not a standout.

The most interesting window – and I mean *relatively* interesting – is Wednesday the 16th through Friday the 18th. On Wednesday the 16th, the swell builds: 5ft in the morning and 6ft in the afternoon from the E, period 6-7 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 203 in the morning and 327 in the afternoon – moderate to strong. But the wind is cross-on to onshore, so it’s going to be lumpy and messy. For a sandbar, a short-period E swell isn’t going to be pretty. The size is getting into that “not for beginners” territory, over 5ft, but the quality is poor.

Thursday the 17th sees similar energy, 6ft from the ENE with a period of 7-8 seconds, and combined energy in the 400s – strong. But again, cross-on winds and a short period make it a chop-fest. This setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, honestly.

Friday the 18th is the high point, if you can call it that. Morning brings 6ft from the E, period 9 seconds, with a combined energy of 528 – strong wave energy. The wind is light cross-on from the S at 6 mph. It’s still got that cross-on breeze, but the light wind and longer period mean the lines might be a bit cleaner. The 9-second period is decent, the swell is solid. It’s marginal, but it’s the best on offer. The afternoon drops off a little.

After that, the weekend of the 19th and 20th fades back to smaller, weaker, onshore slop.

So, the lowdown: the first week and a half are a write-off. The only real window to look at is the 16th through the 18th, with Friday the 18th morning being the best bet for the biggest, most energetic swell. But don’t expect perfection – it’s gonna be a bit of a battle with the wind. If you’re desperate, you might score a few messy ones at Castles. Otherwise, keep the board in the car and wait for a better forecast.

Rusty.

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