Castlepoint - The Gap Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, let’s be honest – the next 16 days at Castlepoint – The Gap are a bit of a mixed bag, with a slow start and a couple of proper windows that’ll get the blood pumping. The water temp is sitting at about 55°F, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real surf we see is on Wednesday the 16th, but it’s nothing to write home about. Thursday morning on the 16th has a 2ft swell from the ESE with a 15-second period, and the wind is fresh offshore from the WNW at 19 mph, keeping things clean. The wave energy is pretty moderate (210), but the swell is just too small to get excited about. Thursday afternoon picks up a little – 3ft ESE swell with a 16-second period, and the wind drops to a gentle offshore breeze (9 mph). The combined energy is still moderate (323), and the report says “ordinary conditions.” It’s surfable, but only just.

Now, Friday the 17th is where things start to get interesting. The morning is a standout: a clean 4ft swell from the ESE, 16-second period, with a light offshore breeze from the west at only 3 mph. The wave energy jumps to a strong 1467, and it’s glassy, clean conditions. The report says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is a real window for a decent session. The afternoon sees the swell bump up to 6ft from the SSW, 15-second period, but the wind turns cross-off from the north at 6 mph. The energy is very strong (2506), and it’s clean, but that 6ft is getting into the territory where only experienced surfers will be comfortable.

Saturday the 18th is a bit of a letdown after Friday. The morning has a fresh 22 mph offshore wind from the NW, which is too strong, and the 4ft ESE swell (14 seconds) is blown out of shape despite the energy being moderate (940). The afternoon is a better story: the wind drops to a gentle 9 mph from the WSW, the swell drops to 3ft from the SSW, but the period is a very long 23 seconds, and the energy is strong (1377). The report says “very good surf conditions,” but that long period will make it break a bit straight at The Gap, which is a sheltered spot. Still, for the patient surfer, it could be worth a look.

Sunday the 19th is a write-off. A 7ft S swell with an 18-second period hits the morning, but the wind is a moderate cross-shore from the SSW at 12 mph, creating a cross-chop. The wave energy is very strong (3059), but the conditions are marginal. The afternoon is worse – 6ft S swell, 16 seconds, still cross-shore and messy. Skip it.

Monday the 20th is the real standout of the whole outlook. The morning is a beauty: a 7ft S swell with a 15-second period, and a light offshore wind from the west at only 6 mph. The wave energy is very strong (2216), and the report says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” This is the one to aim for – clean, powerful, and solid. That 7ft is big, so only for the crew who know what they’re doing. The afternoon turns onshore from the ESE at 3 mph, which messes it up, so get in early.

Tuesday the 21st through to the end of the month is a slow fade. The swell drops to 5ft or less, the wind is mostly offshore but the wave energy is low to moderate (783 down to 62). There are no more standouts. A few mornings on the 21st and 22nd have clean, small waves (5ft and 3ft) with light offshore winds, but it’s just ordinary, small-scale surf. The last week is basically a gap – from the 24th of July through to the 30th, the swell is tiny (1ft to 4ft), and the energy is weak. There’s nothing to recommend.

So, to wrap it up: the best on offer is Friday morning the 17th for a clean, fun session with the ESE swell, and Monday morning the 20th for the big, powerful S swell for experienced surfers only. The rest is either too small, too windy, or just ordinary. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but for now, those two days are the ones to circle.

Rusty.

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