Castlepoint - The Gap Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s in store for us at Castlepoint - The Gap.

We’re in for a bit of a wait, to be honest. The first half of the forecast window is pretty average, with only a couple of small windows where you might get a half-decent wave, but nothing to get excited about. The water temp here is sitting at 53°, which is a touch cooler than average for this time of year – nothing wild, just a bit of a nip in the air.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Tuesday the 8th of September. That morning, we’ve got a 6ft swell from the south, with a short period of 7 seconds, and a light offshore breeze from the west. The wave energy is moderate (711), and while the period is short, the offshore wind will keep things clean. It’s a beach and reef setup here, so that short period might mean a bit of a walled-up wave, but it’s the best on offer for a while. The crowd factor is listed as “often,” so you can expect some company.

After that, things drop off again until we hit a big, wild event on Sunday the 13th of September. We’re looking at a massive 15ft swell from the SSW with a period of 11 seconds. The combined energy is huge (4869), and it’s clean with cross-off winds. But honestly, this is way too big for The Gap – it’s a sheltered spot, and that kind of size will be a washing machine. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s a bit of a beast. Monday the 14th gets even bigger, with 23ft swells and massive energy (41190), so unless you’re a madman, stay well clear.

Now, the real standout is Tuesday the 15th of September. The morning session is the pick of the whole run. We’ve got a 8ft south swell with a nice long period of 12 seconds, light offshore winds from the west, and clean conditions. The energy is strong (2210), and while 8ft is getting up there, it’s still manageable for experienced surfers. This is a proper groundswell, so it’ll have some push and shape, but remember, that long period can make it a bit straight at a beach break – but The Gap is a point and reef setup, so it should handle it well.

Then, to round things out, Friday the 18th of September looks promising. That morning we’ve got a 3ft SSW swell with a long period of 13 seconds, gentle cross-off winds, and clean conditions. The energy is moderate (435), and it’s a nice little pulse to see the run out. The afternoon builds to 6ft with the same long period, and the energy jumps up to 1325. It’s looking very surfable.

So, if you’re picking your days, Tuesday the 15th morning is the absolute best on offer. The 18th is a solid backup. The rest is either too small, too big, or too messy. Keep an eye on that big swell mid-month – it’s more for the tow-in crew than a standard paddle.

Rusty.

Read more