Castlepoint - The Gap Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got the skinny on what’s comin’ through at Castlepoint - The Gap. It’s a spot that’s pretty well sheltered from the main swell direction, so it takes a bit of a specific angle to fire. The start of this run is a bit of a write-off, with only tiny, ordinary waves and fresh wind blowin’ straight off the land, makin’ it clean but just too small to get excited about. We’ve got a real stretch of nothing worthwhile from Saturday the 29th right through to Sunday the 30th, with nothing over 3 ft and scores that don’t get the heart pumpin’. Then Monday the 31st morning is the big standout – that’s the one you want to circle.

Monday, 31 August – morning session at The Gap. This is it. We’ve got a solid 10 ft swell rollin’ in from the SSW, with a period of 9 seconds, and a light NW breeze blowin’ a clean 6 mi/h offshore. The wave energy is pumping hard – values up there around 2816 – and for an experienced surfer, this is excellent. It’s a big swell, over the 8 ft mark, so leave the foamies at home, this one’s for the crew who know how to handle some size. The wind’s light and offshore, so the face is gonna be glassy and clean. That’s the best on offer, no doubt. The water temp’s sittin’ about average for this time of year, so no nasty surprises on that front.

The afternoon of the same day sees the swell hold at 10 ft, but the wind picks up to a fresh 19 mi/h offshore from the WNW, and the period stretches to 13 seconds – that longer period groundswell means better shape and more energy punchin’ through, but the stronger wind makes paddle-outs a bit more of a wrestle. Still, a decent backup session if the mornin’ slips away.

Tuesday, 1 September is a step down. We’ve got 10-13 ft of SSW swell, but the wind swings to a cross-off from the SW at 19 mi/h, and there’s light rain in the mix. The energy is huge – over 8000 in the afternoon – but the conditions are just marginal. It’s doable for the die-hards, but not the clean, dreamy lines of Monday mornin’.

Wednesday, 2 September keeps the size at 8-10 ft from the S, with the wind offshore from the WNW. The morning’s got a fresh breeze, but the afternoon goes to a moderate breeze and a very long 15-second period groundswell. That long period can make these beach-and-reef set-ups a bit straight and fast, but at The Gap it can still offer up some nice walls for the experienced.

Thursday, 3 September sees the swell drop to 5 ft in the morning, but the wind is a strong 25 mi/h offshore – clean as a whistle but you’ll be workin’ hard to get out. The afternoon looks better, with 4 ft and a moderate offshore wind, and the energy’s moderate – around 436. Could be a fun little session if the tides line up.

From Friday, 4 September through to Saturday, 13 September, it’s mostly a mix of very small surf (1 ft to 7 ft) with strong to gale-force offshore winds or messy cross-shore breezes. There’s a few days where the swell gets a bit of size again, like Sunday the 6th with 7 ft from the SSW, but the strong offshore wind makes it a struggle to paddle into. A couple of days around the 10th show some promise with 5 ft and a light wind, but the conditions are still just ordinary to marginal. The best bet is to keep your eyes on the earlier days and don’t hold your breath for the second week – there’s nothing that jumps out as a proper standout after that Monday the 31st.

Rusty, signing off.

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