Castlepoint - The Gap Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s lining up for us.

Alright, so we’ve got a bit of a wait on our hands. The forecast is pretty grim for the next few days, with a big, powerful swell arriving mid-week that’s just too damn big for our little corner of the coast. We’re looking at a solid gap of no good surf until things start to settle down.

The first real window of opportunity, and honestly the standout of the whole outlook, is Thursday morning, the 20th of August at Castlepoint - The Gap. The swell has dropped back to a more manageable 8 ft from the SSW, and the wind is a light WSW cross-off breeze. It’s going to be clean. The water temp is sitting at 53°F, which is about 1°F cooler than normal for this time of year, so nothing too out of the ordinary but you’ll want a decent wetsuit. The combined swell energy is decent at 2412, meaning there’s some proper push behind it. This is the one to aim for if you’re intermediate and up.

The rest of that week is a bit of a mixed bag. Friday morning the 21st sees a 5 ft S swell with a long 15-second period and clean NW offshore winds, but the energy is a bit weaker at 1200. It’s surfable, but not the same quality as Thursday. That long period will make it a bit walled and straight at the beach, but The Gap is a reef setup, so it should handle it well.

Then the swell drops right off for the weekend and into the early part of the following week. The 22nd and 23rd are basically write-offs with tiny, weak waves. By the 24th and 25th, we see a new SSW swell building, but the wind is howling at 25 mph from the WNW. That’s a strong offshore, which will keep the surface clean, but it’s going to be a battle to get out and hold your position. The swell is 7 ft to 8 ft with a 15-second period, which is big and powerful, but the wind is so strong it’s going to be a struggle for all but the fittest and strongest. The energy readings are high, around 2133 and 2311, but the comments say it’s marginal.

Looking further out, the 26th of August Wednesday morning offers a 5 ft S swell with a moderate 12 mph offshore wind and clean faces. The energy is a modest 565. It’s a decent option, but nothing to write home about.

The final notable mention is Friday morning, the 28th of August. We’ve got a 6 ft SSW swell with a long 15-second period and a light N cross-off breeze. The energy is solid at 1430. It’s clean and punchy, but because it’s so far out, there’s a bit of uncertainty. It’s promising, but don’t lock in your plans just yet.

Truth be told, the first week is a bust. The best bet is that Thursday morning, the 20th. After that, it’s a game of watching the wind. When it’s not blowing a gale, the swell is too small, and when the swell is there, the wind is too strong. It’s one of those stretches.

Stay stoked, and keep an eye on that Thursday session.

- Rusty

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