Castles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Let's take a look at what we've got coming up at Castles. It's a reef setup, consistent, and exposed to swell, so it's a spot that can pick up some decent energy. The water temp is sitting at 61°, which is only a little warmer than average for this time of year, so nothing too crazy.

Right off the bat, don't go paddling out this Monday afternoon. We've got a modest 3ft SW swell, but the wind is cross/on from the south at 12 mph, and it's choppy. The combined energy is only moderate (703), and the surf report just says "poor". It's a write-off.

Tuesday morning the 15th is where it starts to wake up. That SW groundswell builds to 5ft with a 15 second period. Energy jumps up to strong (1080). The wind is a cross-off from the southeast, 19 mph, but the report says it's clean. That's a decent combination, even if the conditions are still a bit marginal. That long period means the sets will be powerful, with long gaps between them, making the paddle out a bit easier. Tuesday afternoon is much the same, 5ft and clean.

Wednesday the 16th is the best bet of this first run. Solid 6ft of SW groundswell with that 15 second period, and the morning has strong energy (1246) with a cross-off breeze. The afternoon cleans up even more, energy hits 1306, and the wind is a moderate breeze out of the southeast, still cross-off and clean. This is the one to aim for.

Thursday the 17th morning drops a touch to 4ft, but the afternoon is a real standout. A gentle breeze from the ENE at 9 mph, *offshore* wind. It's clean, glassy conditions on a 4ft SW groundswell. The energy is moderate (422), but that light offshore wind makes all the difference for a smooth face. That Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th? Forget it. The swell drops hard to under 3ft, the wind is all over the place, and the energy is weak. The surf is poor.

Now, Sunday the 20th sees a new pulse. A longer period WSW swell comes in at 4ft to 5ft, with very strong energy (1337 to 1516). But the wind is cross/on from the south, which will mess it up, making it choppy. Keep your expectations low.

Here's the real bright spot: Monday the 21st morning. We get a 4ft SW groundswell, but the wind swings to a gentle offshore from the ENE at 9 mph. "Expect very good surf conditions" is what it says. Clean lines, gentle offshore wind. That's a window you want to be in. The energy is moderate (609), but that wind makes it premium.

Tuesday the 22nd morning is also very good. Another offshore breeze from the ENE, 5ft of SW groundswell with a 15 second period, and strong energy (836). That's clean and powerful. The afternoon dies as the wind turns onshore.

After a weak, choppy Wednesday the 23rd and Thursday the 24th, things get interesting again on Friday the 25th. A bigger SW groundswell pushes in, 7ft in the morning with a 16 second period. That's very long period, super powerful. The combined energy is a massive 2166. The wind is a cross-off from the north-northeast, and it's clean. This is for experienced surfers only—over 8ft, it's expert territory, but at 7ft it’s still big and powerful, and the long period groundswell will be best for this reef. The Saturday the 26th is a write-off though, with strong onshore winds and messy surf.

So, to wrap it up: the standout sessions are Wednesday the 16th afternoon, and that clean offshore window on Monday the 21st morning. For the second week, keep an eye on Friday the 25th morning for a big, powerful swell with clean conditions, but it's a way off, so don't set your watch by it yet.

Rusty.

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