Castlepoint - The Gap Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Castlepoint. The pick of the whole sixteen-day stretch without a doubt is Monday the 27th of July, but we’ve got a fair bit of water to wade through before we get there.

The first decent session kicks off Monday morning, the 20th of July, at Castlepoint - The Gap. It’s a sheltered spot, and it’s mainly a beginner-friendly wave. Swell is coming in from the south at 7ft, with a very long period of 15s. That’s pure groundswell, and with a combined energy of 2086 (moderate to strong), it’s got some grunt. The wind is a light cross-offshore breeze, keeping things clean. For a Monday morning, that’s a solid start. The water temp is about average for the time of year.

Monday afternoon the wind ticks around a bit onshore, making it messy, so the morning is definitely the call.

Tuesday the 21st stays clean both morning and afternoon, with a light cross-off breeze. The swell drops slightly to 7ft in the morning, still from the south, still a long 15s period. Combined energy is 1802, still decent. By afternoon it’s 6ft, 14s period, energy 1260. Good, consistent surf for a beginner-to-intermediate crew.

Wednesday the 22nd sees the swell drop away – 3ft in the morning, 4ft in the afternoon. It’s clean enough in the morning with a light offshore, but the energy is down to 378. Ordinary. Thursday the 23rd is tiny, 2ft, and then it drops to almost nothing from Friday the 24th through to Saturday the 25th. Combined energy falls to 28 and 35, so you’re looking at a few days of flatness. There’s a gap of about four days with very little to recommend.

Then things get interesting. Sunday the 26th of July brings a big jump in swell – 12ft going to 13ft, from the SSW. But the wind is a strong cross-shore, 25 mph in the morning, and the sea state is messy. The combined energy is 3442 and 4573, but the quality is poor. That’s a no-go for paddling, but if you’re into kites, the setup looks much more interesting than a surfboard.

Monday the 27th of July is the real standout. Morning session: 13ft of south swell, 11s period, combined energy 4692. And the wind? A gentle offshore from the west. That’s clean, powerful, and for experienced surfers only. The break is sheltered, and with a long period groundswell like this, it’s going to be a freight train, not a beginner wave. The afternoon stays big at 12ft, with a cross-offshore, still good but the morning is the pick.

Tuesday the 28th holds size at 10ft, with a moderate cross-off. Still big, still for experienced crew, but the energy is high (2380 to 3952). The wind is a bit stronger, so it’s not as clean as Monday.

Wednesday the 29th of July sees a shift in swell direction to the ESE, 7ft, with a period of 12s. The wind is a light cross-off, and the combined energy is 1704. Good shape, but the direction is a bit odd for the gap, so it might not line up perfectly.

Thursday the 30th of July drops to 6ft, and by the afternoon the wind is actually offshore from the NW, with 5ft ESE swell, 11s period, and energy 868. That’s a much more manageable size, and the moderate offshore wind will make for clean, fun waves. Good for a wider range of surfers.

Friday the 31st of July brings a short-period 7ft from the NE (8s), which is generally junky, but the wind is offshore in the afternoon. The period is too short to get excited about.

The first week of August looks a bit mixed. Saturday the 1st is tiny, Sunday the 2nd sees a 7ft SSW swell building to 8ft with a fresh offshore – that’s promising, but it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it. Monday the 3rd of August is a write-off with 13ft and strong cross-shore wind. Then Tuesday the 4th of August, the last day in the window, shows a 12ft south swell, 12s period, with a light offshore wind and combined energy 4101. That’s a big, clean, expert-only wave to finish the run.

So, bottom line: if you’re an experienced surfer, Monday morning the 27th of July is the absolute standout. For the rest of us, the Thursday morning the 30th of July is the best bet for a clean, fun, manageable wave. The middle of the week is flat, but the end of the run has some promising size.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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