Surf Forecasts:
Castlepoint - The Gap surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 12s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 16s period, SSW swell with 15,746 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 13 Aug, 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 (Aug 13) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.9m and 6s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Castlepoint - The Gap in the next 16 days are 5.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 15) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 18ft (5.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Castlepoint - The Gap over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s break this down in feet and °F for you.
Truth is, the first week is a washout. Strong cross-winds, choppy, and weak waves. The water is sitting at about 53°F, which is a bit colder than the long-term average for this time of year—so you’ll want a good hood and gloves.
The first real chance to get wet is Friday, August 14th in the morning. The wind goes dead glassy at Castlepoint - The Gap. The swell is a tiny 3ft from the ENE, with a short period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy is a weak 150. It’s not going to barrel, but glassy conditions mean you can still get a few fun little rides. The afternoon gets a little bumpy, so hit the early session.
Saturday, August 15th morning looks a bit better. Swell picks up to 4ft from the East, with an 8-second period, and a light cross-off breeze from the WSW cleans it up nicely. The combined energy is 247, so there’s a bit more grunt. Still not a classic, but it’s rideable.
Now, here’s the big one. Wednesday, August 19th morning shows a colossal 18ft swell from the SSW, with a very long period of 16 seconds and a combined energy reading of 26135. The wind is gentle offshore from the West, and it’s clean. But that is way too much size for this sheltered spot—it’s been flagged as too big. Only for the absolute hardcore. The Thursday morning after (August 20th) is your best bet: 8ft from the South, 12-second period, glassy, and a combined energy of 1740. That’s solid, clean, and the standout of the whole run.
After that, the swell fades. The last week is mostly small, messy, and cross-shore, with a few clean but weak mornings around the 21st and 22nd with 4ft to 6ft South swell and long periods. Not terrible, but not a reason to skip work.
So, for the best surf on offer, keep your eyes on Thursday, August 20th morning. The 14th and 15th are okay for a quick fix, but the 20th is the real deal. Everything else is just waiting for the next swell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri morning, min 9°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NE on Wed afternoon, calm by Fri morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat morning, min 6°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Sat morning, strong winds from the S by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 9 | NE 6 | SE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | S 7 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 15 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 13 | S 9 | S 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 128 | 109 | 159 | 67 | 67 | 116 | 88 | 111 | 98 | 138 | 235 | 440 | 1164 | 809 | 403 | 316 | 702 | 304 | 923 | 609 | 5408 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | off |
High Tide | 4:17PM1.50m | 4:54AM1.29m | 5:16PM1.47m | 5:52AM1.29m | 6:15PM1.43m | 6:49AM1.30m | 7:13PM1.39m | 7:45AM1.32m | 8:10PM1.35m | 8:38AM1.34m | 9:04PM1.33m | 9:29AM1.35m | 9:55PM1.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:00AM-0.07m | 10:39PM-0.01m | 11:01AM-0.09m | 11:43PM0.00m | 12:00PM-0.08m | 00:43AM0.02m | 12:59PM-0.06m | 1:39AM0.04m | 1:57PM-0.02m | 2:32AM0.06m | 2:55PM0.03m | 3:23AM0.10m | 3:50PM0.08m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | | |  | | |  | | | | |  | | | | | |
 | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — |
 | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — |
mm | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
Feels °C | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 6 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ESE 7 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | SSW 15 | S 8 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 9 | S 12 | E 9 | ESE 12 |
| kJ | 128 | 109 | 159 | 67 | 59 | 28 | 88 | 111 | 86 | 138 | 235 | 73 | 33 | 131 | 292 | 316 | 225 | 304 | 522 | 14 | 27 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | SSW 17 | ESE 8 | S 16 | NE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SSW 14 | E 9 | SSW 12 | — |
| kJ | 43 | 54 | 70 | 47 | 29 | 35 | 42 | 71 | 98 | 78 | 99 | 53 | 132 | 43 | 51 | 34 | 21 | 243 | 26 | 29 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | ESE 10 | SE 15 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | SSW 16 | SE 9 | SSE 9 | ESE 13 | SSW 18 | ESE 13 | — | ENE 9 | ESE 8 | ENE 9 | NE 9 | SE 14 | E 9 | SE 13 | E 10 | — |
| kJ | 23 | 43 | 8 | 18 | 17 | 26 | 20 | 7 | 35 | 31 | 17 | — | 29 | 24 | 32 | 19 | 31 | 26 | 27 | 2 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | NE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | — | — | — | SW 4 | SSW 3 | S 7 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 7 | S 9 | — | SSW 13 | S 9 | S 12 |
| kJ | 38 | 69 | 59 | 66 | 67 | 116 | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | 440 | 1164 | 809 | 403 | 311 | 702 | — | 923 | 609 | 5408 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 106 | 106 | 88 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 169 | 102 | 102 | 1 | 1 | 122 | 16 | 135 | 235 | 1 |
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.
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