Castles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at the next couple of weeks. The swell is coming from a good direction for Castles, a reef break that’s consistent and exposed. The water temp is sitting at 60°, which is about average for this time of year – nothing to write home about. There’s a bit of a rough patch to get through first, but there are a couple of windows that are going to be worth paddling out for.

The first few days are a write-off. Sunday the 26th has minimal, weak swell and a cross wind, so don’t bother. Monday and Tuesday are just as bad with fresh, lumpy winds and building but messy swell. The energy gets a bit stronger on Tuesday afternoon, hitting 1374 (moderate), but it’s all cross-onshore and choppy.

It starts to clean up on Thursday morning, the 30th. That’s the first real standout. The wind is gentle offshore from the ENE, and we’ve got a solid 5ft of SW groundswell at 13 seconds. The energy is 721 (moderate), and it’s forecasted as “expect very good surf conditions.” The tide might be a factor, but this is a proper session. The afternoon stays clean with a light cross-off breeze.

After that, the swell drops back, and the wind gets a bit breezy again through the end of July and start of August. There’s a big pulse of energy on the 2nd of August – 4045 (strong) – but the wind is cross and messy, so it’s not the one.

The next real highlight is sitting on the 5th of August. Wednesday morning kicks off with a light cross-off breeze and a 4ft SW groundswell with a very long period of 17 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, and it’s going to line up beautifully at this reef. The energy is 1051 (strong), and it’s rated as “excellent for experienced surfers.” The afternoon is even better – glassy, offshore, with a 5ft swell at 16 seconds. This is a true standout.

A week later, on Friday the 7th of August, there’s another gem. The afternoon goes glassy, with a 5ft SW swell at a very long 18 seconds. The energy is 1213 (strong) and it’s another “excellent” call. The crowd factor is “sometimes” at Castles, so you might have a few others out, but with conditions this clean, it’s worth it.

The very end of the window on Monday the 10th of August has a big, long-period groundswell – 7ft at 23 seconds, with 5076 energy (very strong). The wind is cross, so it’s not perfect, but for a big wave charger, it could be interesting.

So, to sum it up: the best bets are Thursday the 30th of July for a clean, fun session, and then Wednesday the 5th and Friday the 7th of August for the real quality. The 5th is the standout – light winds, solid groundswell, and a reef that’s going to love that direction.

Rusty.

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