Long Strand-Castlefreke Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a proper look at what's on offer for the next couple of weeks at Long Strand-Castlefreke.

To be straight with you, it's a pretty grim run we're looking at for most of the forecast period. The first few days are a write-off. Through Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th of August, and right into the first week of September, the wave comment says it all: poor surf conditions. We've got fresh cross-shore and onshore winds, lumpy chop, and generally weak, short-period swell. The combined swell energy is weak, mostly sitting in double digits or low triple digits (116, 140). It just isn't doing anything for us.

There's a patch in the middle of the first week where the swell tries to pick up a bit, like Sunday afternoon the 30th, with a 6ft SW swell and a combined energy of 548, but the wind is cross-on and choppy. That's not surfable for a decent wave.

The real kicker comes later. The first genuinely interesting day is on the 10th of September. For that Thursday morning, we see a solid 7ft swell from the SSW, with a short period of 8 seconds and a combined energy of 575 (moderate to strong). The wind is a cross-shore from the SSE at 16 mph. That's a lot of energy for a beach break like this, and with that short period and cross-shore wind, it’s going to be a messy, powerful wall of water. Honestly, with that size and those conditions, this set-up looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. It’s not a beginner wave either – anything over 5ft is pushing it for the groms, and at 7ft you’d want to be experienced.

Saturday the 12th of September is the only real standout in the whole 16-day window, but it comes with a catch. The morning session shows a solid 6ft swell from the WSW, a period of 10 seconds, and a combined energy of 592 (strong). The wind is light onshore from the SW at just 6 mph. The data says "wind and tide favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break." That's the honest truth. For Long Strand-Castlefreke (Ireland), when the swell gets that big and the direction is SSW, it can close out or get very heavy. This is an advanced-only day. If you’re an experienced local who knows the sandbanks, you might score, but be ready for a beast. Don't take the beginners out.

Other than that, the rest of the second week is back to small, weak energy and onshore winds. The 13th of September has a promising period of 12-13 seconds from the SW, but the swell is only 1ft to 2ft, so it’s just a long-period dribble.

So, to sum it up: there's very little to get excited about. The 10th of September offers a big, messy, powerful swell best left to the kite crew. The only true wave for the paddle surfer is the Saturday morning of the 12th of September, but it’s a serious one. Bring your biggest board and your best courage. Everything else is a flat spell.

Signing off,
Rusty.

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