
Surf Forecasts:
Castlepoint - The Gap surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 12 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 14s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 12 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 15s period, S swell with 2,930 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 10 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 8s period with ESE 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 Thursday (Sep 10) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Castlepoint - The Gap in the next 16 days are 2.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Castlepoint - The Gap over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Castlepoint - The Gap for the next 16 days. It’s a mixed bag with a few proper windows of clean surf, but you’ll need to be patient and pick your moments.
The water’s sitting at 54°, which is about average for this time of year – nothing unusual there.
We start off on Wednesday the 9th with a bit of a dud. The morning has a 5 ft swell from the ESE, but it’s only 8-second wind swell, and the combined energy is weak (316). The wind is glassy though, so it’s clean, but small and ordinary. The afternoon gets blown out by a NE 12 mph cross-breeze – poor.
Thursday the 10th is small. Morning offers 3 ft of ESE swell, period still short (8 seconds), and the WNW 9 mph offshore wind keeps it clean. It’s surfable but tiny. The afternoon is a write-off with 1.0 ft and wind.
Friday the 11th – this is a real standout. The morning delivers 2 ft of long-period SSW groundswell at 18 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate (442). The NW 6 mph offshore wind and clear skies give you clean, glassy conditions. The waves will be well-shaped, though the long period means it’ll be a bit straight at the beach, but The Gap is a sheltered spot so it’ll handle it fine. Crowds are often, so expect company. The afternoon gets too windy (NW 16 mph), so get on it early.
Saturday the 12th builds. Morning has 4 ft of SSW swell (16 seconds), strong energy (714), but a light S cross-on breeze makes it a bit messy. The afternoon sees 7 ft from the S (15 seconds), very strong energy (1784), but the NE cross-on chop kills the quality – marginal.
Sunday the 13th – this is the absolute best of the forecast. The morning is mint: 7 ft of S swell with a 13-second period, very strong energy (1779), glassy conditions with a light SSW wind. This is solid, powerful surf, clean as a whistle. It’s big enough that beginners should sit this one out, but for experienced surfers, it’s a dream. The afternoon stays big (7 ft, 12 seconds, 1363 energy) but picks up a light ENE cross-on, so it gets a bit bumpy.
Monday the 14th is still good. Morning has 6 ft of S swell (12 seconds), strong energy (1006), and a clean NW cross-off wind. Solid, clean, and punchy. The afternoon drops to 5 ft, still clean.
Tuesday the 15th gets a fresh WNW 19 mph offshore wind, but the swell is only 4 ft from the S, so it’s blown out and hard to enjoy.
From Wednesday the 16th through to the end of the forecast, it’s mostly poor. The wind is often strong offshore, but the swell is small (1.0 ft to 4 ft), and the energy is weak. There’s a small window on Saturday the 19th morning with 3 ft of 18-second SSW groundswell and moderate energy (574), but the wind is strong (16 mph), making it hard work. The very end (Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th) has tiny, clean 2-3 ft swells, but nothing worth getting excited about.
So, to sum it up: Friday morning the 11th is your pick for clean, lined-up waves, but Sunday morning the 13th is the real standout – big, powerful, glassy, and perfect for those who know what they’re doing. Get out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri afternoon, min 6°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, fresh winds from the S by Thu afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 7°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat afternoon, fresh winds from the NW by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 7 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | S 15 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
277 | 229 | 149 | 79 | 48 | 270 | 266 | 249 | 168 | 654 | 1739 | 2717 | 1760 | 1342 | 1271 | 988 | 734 | 537 | 326 | 254 | 157 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross | cross-off | off | cross | cross | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 3:03PM1.43m | 3:37AM1.26m | 4:01PM1.41m | 4:34AM1.26m | 4:58PM1.38m | 5:30AM1.27m | 5:54PM1.34m | 6:25AM1.30m | 6:50PM1.31m | 7:19AM1.32m | 7:45PM1.29m | 8:11AM1.34m | 8:37PM1.28m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:18PM-0.01m | 9:44AM-0.06m | 10:17PM0.03m | 10:44AM-0.04m | 11:19PM0.07m | 11:43AM-0.01m | 00:17AM0.11m | 12:40PM0.03m | 1:11AM0.14m | 1:36PM0.08m | 2:01AM0.17m | 2:31PM0.13m | 2:50AM0.20m | ||||||||
6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | |
— | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 9 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 13 |
Feels °C | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 14 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | S 15 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 11 |
277 | 229 | 149 | 79 | 45 | 105 | 155 | 83 | 168 | 654 | 1739 | 2717 | 1760 | 1342 | 1271 | 988 | 734 | 537 | 326 | 254 | 157 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 16 | ESE 7 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | S 6 | NE 13 | NE 13 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | NE 11 | NE 8 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 |
35 | 35 | 22 | 11 | 48 | 21 | 266 | 249 | 101 | 43 | 43 | 41 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 20 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 15 | S 20 | NE 16 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | SSW 20 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ENE 11 | ENE 13 | SE 7 | NE 8 | SE 11 | ENE 9 | SE 10 | SE 11 | — | NE 13 | NE 13 | SE 11 | SE 11 |
4 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 75 | 21 | 21 | 12 | 17 | 2 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 5 | — | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 9 | N 4 | NW 4 | NW 4 | S 7 | — | NW 2 | NW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | NW 2 | NW 2 | NW 2 | WNW 3 |
— | 3 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 270 | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 88 | 28 | 0 | 66 | 99 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 76 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 135 |
Best forecast wave conditions in The Wairarapa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.










