Castles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, it's Rusty here, and I've been poring over the charts for our local patch. We've got a solid run of swell coming our way, but the wind is going to be the real story, dictating when we can actually get out there. The water's sitting at a pretty normal 60° for this time of year, so no need for a thick steamer.

The action kicks off on Wednesday the 26th of August. The first call is a beauty – Castles is showing 3 ft of SW groundswell with a 12-second period. The energy is a bit weak (350), but the real magic is that glassy NE wind at only 3 mph. It's a beginner-friendly reef, so it's a great session for the learners or anyone wanting a cruisy, clean wave to start.

We hit a bit of a lull on Thursday morning, but the afternoon of the 27th gets interesting. The swell holds at 3 ft from the SW, but the period jumps to 19 seconds, making it a very long-period groundswell. The energy is strong (1157), but at a reef like Castles, that long period should produce some nice, walled-up lines. The wind is a cross-off from the N at 9 mph, keeping it clean.

The first real standout is Friday the 28th of August. The morning is a ripper for the more experienced crew. We've got 5 ft of SW swell at 16 seconds, with a strong energy reading (1144). The wind is a light cross-off from the NNE at 6 mph, promising clean, powerful waves. The afternoon cleans up further with glassy conditions from the WNW at 3 mph and the swell dropping just a touch to 5 ft – still a fantastic session.

Saturday the 29th of August offers a solid morning with 3 ft of SW swell and a nice offshore wind from the E at 9 mph. The afternoon gets tricky with a cross-offshore wind, so the morning is the window.

Sunday the 30th of August is another one for the early birds. The wind is a clean offshore from the E at 12 mph, grooming 2 ft of SW groundswell with a very long 19-second period. The energy is moderate (411), good for a longboard or a fun fish.

The energy picks up for Monday the 31st of August. The afternoon session is a standout for experienced surfers. We're looking at 5 ft of SW swell at 18 seconds, with a massive energy of 1327. The wind is a cross-off from the NNE at 9 mph, keeping the surface clean. This is a session for the confident crew.

The start of September gets a bit messy. Tuesday the 1st is a write-off with strong onshores, and Wednesday the 2nd is poor with cross-onshore winds. We get a brief reprieve on Thursday the 3rd of September with a clean morning, but the afternoon turns onshore again.

The outlook really shines as we get into the second week. The standout of the entire forecast is Monday the 7th of September. The afternoon session is an absolute cracker. We're talking 8 ft of SW groundswell at 14 seconds, with a massive energy of 3360. The wind is a clean offshore from the NE at only 6 mph. This is a big, powerful swell, but with offshore winds, Castles will be firing. This is an expert-only session due to the size, but for those who can handle it, it's the best on offer.

The following week is a bit more mixed. We get a clean morning on Thursday the 10th of September with 4 ft of SW swell and a solid offshore wind from the E, but overall the consistency drops off.

So, to wrap it up, get out on the 26th of August for a glassy beginner wave, lock in the 28th of August for a solid clean day, and circle the 7th of September in your calendar. That final session is the one you'll be telling your mates about.

Rusty.

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