Castlepoint - The Gap Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s on the menu at The Gap (Castlepoint).

To be straight with you, the next week or so is a tough watch. We’ve got plenty of swell energy, but the wind is just wrecking it for a paddle surfer. Starting Sunday the 16th, a strong southerly breeze is tearing things up, making for messy, poor conditions despite a solid 12ft southerly swell. The water is sitting at 53°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year. That combo of strong cross-shore wind and big, unruly swell is a write-off for the boards. Honestly, with the wind and chop, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th are a similar story – the swell stays up over 7ft, but the wind stays on it. Tuesday afternoon even sees a 13ft swell with a near gale blowing. It’s clean, but that’s a lot of power and wind; only for the experts, and even then, it’s a battle.

Things start to look a bit better towards the end of the week. Thursday morning the 20th is the first real glimmer of hope. We’ve got a clean 5ft southerly groundswell (13-second period) with a light offshore westerly breeze. The combined energy is moderate (975). It’s not huge, but it’s clean and rideable, and for a sheltered spot like The Gap, that offshore wind is gold. Friday morning the 21st also looks clean with a moderate offshore northwesterly and a 5ft southerly groundswell (704 energy). These are the windows to get out for a fun, uncrowded session.

We hit a flat spell from Saturday the 22nd through Monday the 24th. The swell drops right away, with energy readings down to 66 and 46 on the Sunday. The wind is offshore but it’s too strong, and there’s just not enough push. A three-day gap of no real surf to speak of.

Now, for the true standout. Hold onto your boardies, because Thursday the 27th of August is the one to circle on the calendar. Thursday morning is looking excellent. We have a clean 6ft southerly groundswell, but the period is a very long 13 seconds, offering proper energy and shape. The wind is a gentle offshore westerly, meaning it will be glassy and clean. The combined swell energy is strong (1307). The Gap loves a long-period swell from the south, and with those conditions, it’s going to be the best waves we’ve seen in this outlook. The offshore wind is a major positive, promising clean, lined-up walls. Keep in mind that with a long-period swell like this, the sets can be a bit more spaced out, but the quality will make up for it.

The following Saturday morning the 29th also has some potential with a solid 8ft south swell, light winds, and strong energy (1558), but the Thursday morning is the clear winner.

The very end of the month looks to close out with a return of onshore wind and messy surf. So, get on it Thursday the 27th.

Rusty, signing off.

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