Castlepoint - The Gap Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the cards for Castlepoint - The Gap over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a real standout on Friday morning, August 21st. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there. The wind is glassy, absolutely dead calm, and we’ve got a solid 6 ft south swell with a very long period of 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is strong at 1434. This is a sheltered spot, and with that kind of period, it’ll be lining up nicely, though it might break a little straight on the beach. Still, for a beginner-friendly break, this is as good as it gets. The afternoon holds up with 5 ft and clean conditions, but the wind swings a little cross-off, so Friday morning is your pick.

Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd are a write-off. The swell drops right off and the wind howls offshore at 18 to 28 mph, which might sound good but it’s too strong, making it hard to paddle into the tiny waves. That’s a couple of dead days.

Then we get back into it on Monday morning, August 24th. The swell jumps back up to 6 ft from the SSW, with a moderate period of 11 seconds and a combined energy of 1372. The wind is a gentle offshore from the west, so it’s clean and workable. Monday afternoon sees a bigger 8 ft swell with a longer 13-second period, but the wind goes cross-shore and light, so it’s a bit messy with some ripples. Still, there’s a lot of energy there (1786). Might be a bit much for beginners, but stronger surfers could find something.

Tuesday and Wednesday the 25th and 26th are pretty average. The swell drops to around 3-4 ft with moderate offshore winds, so it’s surfable but nothing special. The energy is moderate (344 and 631). Wednesday afternoon gets a bit of a cross-onshore bump, so it’s not great.

From Thursday the 27th through to the end of the month, we’re in a bit of a lull. Swell stays around 2 ft to 3 ft, and while the winds are mostly cross-off and clean, there’s just not enough size or energy to get excited about. The energy values are weak to moderate (183 to 493). Crowds are often an issue here, but with this much nothing on offer, that won’t be a problem.

Now, looking ahead to the end of the month and into early September, things start to look promising again. Sunday the 30th of August has a solid 6 ft SSW swell with a 15-second period, but the wind is cross-shore and moderate, so it’s a bit chopped. The afternoon gets a bigger 8 ft with an onshore breeze, so it’s not great. But then Monday the 31st of August morning is a real standout for experienced surfers. We’re talking 12 ft south swell with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is huge at 4542. The wind is glassy light, so it’ll be clean. This is big, powerful groundswell, and The Gap is sheltered, so it should focus the energy. This is the one for the more advanced crew. The afternoon stays at 8 ft but gets a cross-on breeze, so it’s not as clean.

Tuesday the 1st of September morning is also a beauty: 6 ft south swell, glassy conditions, and strong energy at 1326. That’s a great option for intermediate surfers looking for clean, manageable waves. The rest of that week into early September drops off again, with smaller swells and moderate winds, so nothing worth rushing out for.

So, to sum it up: Friday morning August 21st is the best early call for clean, fun waves. For the big stuff, Monday morning August 31st is the one for experienced surfers. There’s a lot of average days in between, but those two sessions are the real standouts.

Rusty.

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