Long Strand-Castlefreke Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Long Strand-Castlefreke.

To be straight with you, the next week and a half is a tough stretch. We’ve got a long run of poor surf conditions stretchin’ from the start all the way through to the end of the month. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly cross or onshore, and there’s just no energy in the water. You’re lookin’ at a real flat spell, with wave heights barely muster’n 2 ft and combined swell energy (50) that’s weak. The water’s a touch warmer than normal for this time of year at 65°, but that’s small comfort when there’s nothin’ to ride.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until Sunday the 16th of August, when a bit more size pushes in. The morning swell jumps to 4 ft from the WSW with a period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy climbs to 151 (moderate). Problem is, the wind’s a moderate cross-onshore at 15 mph, so it’s gonna be choppy and messy. That’s not beginner-friendly at all – over 5 ft and lumpy – but for an advanced surfer willin’ to work for it, there might be a few waves worth the paddle. Still, the setup looks more like a kite surfer’s playground than a clean paddle session.

After that, we’re back into the doldrums. The last week of August sees the swell drop away again, but something interesting starts to build toward the very end of the forecast. By Saturday the 22nd of August, we’ve got a 1 ft SSW groundswell with a long 16-second period and clean offshore wind from the NE at 9 mph. The combined energy (52) is still weak, but that offshore wind is a major positive – it’ll clean things right up. Then Sunday the 23rd of August morning looks even better: 1 ft from the SSW, 15-second period, and a moderate offshore breeze from the NE at 15 mph. The energy’s still modest (73), but with those glassy, offshore conditions, the smaller waves will be clean and lined up. The long period (15 seconds) means the sets will be a bit more drawn out, but it’s a point break setup here, so that’s a good thing – it’ll wrap in nicely.

This is the standout of the entire forecast. It’s a long way out, so I’d call it promisin’ but not locked in. If it holds, Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd mornings are your best bet. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so if the word gets out, you might have some company. But for clean, small waves with a bit of pulse, it’s the only game in town.

Rusty.

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