
Surf Forecasts:
Castlepoint - The Gap surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 1 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 13s period, SSW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 1 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 13s period, SSW swell with 6,056 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 1 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 13s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Castlepoint - The Gap this week:
The surf forecast for Castlepoint - The Gap over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 01) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 4.5m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 3.5m and 13s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 15s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Castlepoint - The Gap in the next 16 days are 4.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 01) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 01) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Sat 1st Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Sat 1st Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Sat 1st Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Castlepoint - The Gap over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on the cards for The Gap at Castlepoint over the next couple of weeks.
It’s a quiet start, but we’ve got a decent run of surf coming through. The water is sitting at 54°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The first real action kicks off on Sunday morning, August 2nd. We’re looking at a clean 8ft swell from the south, with a period of 11 seconds. The wind is a gentle offshore from the WNW, keeping things smooth. The combined energy is moderate (1605). This is a solid, fun wave for a Sunday sesh. The surf carries on through the afternoon, dropping a touch to 7ft but with glassy conditions as the wind goes nearly nothing – that’s a real treat.
Monday, August 3rd, holds clean, smaller waves. The swell drops to 3ft from the SSW in the morning, and 3ft in the afternoon, both with offshore breeze. The period stretches to 12 and 13 seconds, giving the waves some shape. The energy is weak (566 and 585), but it’s a good option for a beginner or a longboarder.
Now, the standout period is from Tuesday, August 4th, through to Wednesday, August 5th. This is the best run of the outlook. Tuesday morning brings a 10ft south swell with a 14-second period, and clean conditions thanks to a cross-offshore wind. The combined energy is strong (3680). This is a proper groundswell, full of power. The waves will be big, holding at 12ft in the afternoon (5687 energy), so this is for experienced surfers only. Wednesday morning, August 5th, is the pick of the bunch: 10ft south swell, 14-second period, gentle offshore wind, and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers (2824 energy). That’s a session to get excited about.
After that, the swell settles down. Thursday, August 6th, sees a clean 6ft south swell in the morning, but the wind swings onshore in the afternoon, making it messy. Friday, August 7th, is small in the morning, but the afternoon offers a surprise: a 5ft south swell with a very long period of 17 seconds. That’s a rare, long-period groundswell that will wrap into The Gap beautifully. The energy is moderate (1313) and the wind is light. It’s a gem.
The second week is more mixed. Saturday, August 8th, and Sunday, August 9th, have clean, moderate swells, but the period drops to 8 seconds on Sunday, making it a bit crumbly. Monday, August 10th, has a decent 8ft south-east swell in the afternoon (1234 energy) with a clean cross-offshore wind, which is worth a look. The rest of the week sees smaller, wind-affected waves, with a short period spike on Wednesday, August 12th (10ft east swell, 11 seconds), but with light rain and cross-shore wind. The final days, from August 14th onward, are poor with strong winds and lumpy conditions, so it’s time to hang up the board for a while.
Crowds at The Gap can be often, especially on the good days, so expect company for the Sunday and the big Tuesday/Wednesday swell.
Overall, the best bets are the Sunday morning glass-off and the big, powerful groundswell on Tuesday and Wednesday of the first week. Get on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon morning, min 4°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Fri night, light winds from the WNW by Sun afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon afternoon, min 5°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Tue afternoon, calm by Thu morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | SE 15 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSW 13 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
114 | 109 | 2676 | 3394 | 2671 | 1235 | 1065 | 534 | 250 | 345 | 925 | 3674 | 5681 | 4122 | 2805 | 2074 | 1367 | 890 | 778 | 312 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross | cross | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:19PM1.17m | 6:55AM1.07m | 7:09PM1.17m | 7:42AM1.10m | 8:01PM1.17m | 8:30AM1.15m | 8:54PM1.20m | 9:16AM1.21m | 9:44PM1.23m | 10:02AM1.27m | 10:32PM1.26m | 10:50AM1.34m | 11:20PM1.29m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:01AM0.23m | 12:54PM0.21m | 1:48AM0.21m | 1:44PM0.19m | 2:34AM0.20m | 2:36PM0.18m | 3:20AM0.18m | 3:30PM0.16m | 4:05AM0.16m | 4:22PM0.13m | 4:51AM0.13m | 5:13PM0.10m | ||||||||
— | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | |
5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 |
Feels °C | 5 | 1 | -1 | -1 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | E 11 | SE 16 | SE 15 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSW 13 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 10 |
114 | 57 | 201 | 176 | 2671 | 1235 | 1065 | 534 | 241 | 345 | 925 | 3674 | 5681 | 4122 | 2805 | 2074 | 1367 | 890 | 778 | 312 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | SE 15 | E 10 | E 10 | SE 14 | SSE 14 | NE 15 | SSW 10 | SSW 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | SE 18 | SE 16 | SE 15 | SE 14 | SE 13 |
24 | 109 | 19 | 8 | 179 | 226 | 9 | 176 | 250 | 173 | 82 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 67 | 57 | 99 | 140 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 15 | NE 8 | NE 18 | E 12 | NE 16 | SE 13 | S 19 | NE 15 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | NE 13 | — | — | — | SE 19 | NE 12 | NE 11 | NE 11 | NE 11 | SSW 11 |
59 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 144 | 7 | 8 | 75 | 67 | 7 | — | — | — | 14 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 66 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 4 | SW 5 | SSW 11 | S 11 | — | — | — | NW 2 | NW 4 | NW 3 | SSW 5 | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 3 | NNE 4 | NE 3 | — |
14 | 87 | 2676 | 3394 | — | — | — | 1 | 11 | 2 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 2 | 5 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 143 | 99 | 102 | 273 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 156 | 1 | 99 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 99 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in The Wairarapa | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Castlepoint - The Gap Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Castlepoint - The Gap provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Castlepoint - The Gap can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Castlepoint - The Gap surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Castlepoint - The Gap) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Castlepoint - The Gap may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in The Wairarapa? If you are looking for accommodation near Castlepoint - The Gap, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in The Wairarapa, consider staying in Masterton which is 48 km (30 miles) away. Other places in and around The Wairarapa where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Palmerston North which is 80 km (50 miles) away and Levin, 86 km (53 miles) away.











