Surf Forecasts:
Castlepoint - The Gap surf forecast from 9 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 12 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 14s period, SSW swell with 5,855 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 4.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Castlepoint - The Gap over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here.
Look, I’m gonna be straight with you – this 16-day window for Castlepoint – The Gap is a bit of a mixed bag. It’s not a total write-off, but you’ll need to pick your moments. The first few days are pretty average, but there’s a couple of sessions that are worth getting excited about, especially if you’re keen on some solid groundswell.
The forecast kicks off on Thursday the 10th, but don’t bother paddling out Thursday morning. You’ve got a 2ft swell from the ESE with a short period of 8 seconds, and the wave energy is weak (80). The wind is offshore from the WNW, which is clean, but the waves are just too ordinary. Thursday afternoon is even worse – a tiny 1.0ft cross-shore slop with a 16-second period but no power. Skip it.
Friday the 11th is where things start to get interesting. Friday morning is a standout. The swell is still only 2ft, but it’s a long-period 18-second groundswell from the SSW. The combined wave energy jumps to a solid 517 (moderate), and with a light cross-offshore breeze, the conditions are clean. For a sheltered spot like The Gap, this long-period swell will wrap in nicely, offering some proper shape. This is the best session on offer early on. Friday afternoon is clean with offshore winds, but the wind is fresh and strong, making it a bit harder to paddle into.
Saturday the 12th sees a big jump in size. The morning has a 5ft swell from the SSW, 16-second period, and a cross-shore breeze. The wave energy is strong (1074), but the conditions are just marginal. The afternoon is a monster – 13ft of SSW swell, 14-second period, and a massive 9061 combined energy. That’s very strong wave energy. The wind is a gentle cross-onshore, making it fairly choppy. At 13ft, this is only for experts. The setup is a beach and reef, so with that much size and a cross-onshore wind, it’s looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Sunday the 13th is another highlight. The morning has a 7ft S swell with a 13-second period, and a light cross-offshore breeze. The conditions are clean, and the wave energy is strong (1731). This is a solid, powerful swell that will be good for experienced surfers. The afternoon stays big at 10ft, but the cross-shore wind and chop make it less appealing.
Monday the 14th is a good call for the morning. A 7ft S swell, 12-second period, with a moderate offshore breeze and clean conditions. Wave energy is strong (1127). This is a proper session. The afternoon drops off quickly.
The rest of the first week and into the second week is mostly poor. Tuesday the 15th has a 3ft windswell, and the wave energy is weak (250). Wednesday the 16th is tiny with strong offshore winds – not worth it. Thursday the 17th has a weak 4ft swell, but it’s a short period and the wave energy is low (236). The conditions are clean, but the waves are ordinary.
By Friday the 18th there’s a 5ft S swell, but the wind is strong and the wave energy is moderate (702). The afternoon brings a 7ft S swell, 12-second period, and a strong offshore breeze at 28 mph. The waves are clean but hard to paddle into – that’s a no-go for most.
From Saturday the 19th all the way through to Wednesday the 24th, the surf is consistently poor. The swell sizes range from 2ft to 5ft, but the winds are often strong or cross-shore, and the wave energy stays low to moderate. There’s no real quality on offer. The gaps are long here – several days with nothing worth recommending.
The real standout for the whole period is Friday the 11th morning. The combination of a long-period SSW groundswell and light offshore winds at The Gap will give you the cleanest, most lined-up waves of the fortnight. The swell is small, but the quality is there. Sunday the 13th morning is the other standout for the bigger, more powerful S swell, also clean.
The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Alright, that’s the picture. Keep your eyes on Friday the 11th and Sunday the 13th. Everything else is a bit of a gamble.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 13°C on Thu morning, min 6°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Thu afternoon, light winds from the SSW by Fri night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue morning, min 7°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon morning, fresh winds from the NW by Tue afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 7 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | S 14 | S 13 | SSW 13 | S 11 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 149 | 62 | 48 | 261 | 344 | 326 | 101 | 991 | 5855 | 4147 | 1708 | 2626 | 1520 | 1122 | 792 | 382 | 160 | 100 | 277 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross | cross | cross-off | off | off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 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 | ||||||
 |  |  |  |  | | |  | | |  | |  | | | | | | | |
 | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — |
 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — |
mm | — | — | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 13 |
Feels °C | 7 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 14 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 11 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 13 |
| kJ | 149 | 62 | 47 | 105 | 155 | 76 | 93 | 991 | 3163 | 4147 | 1708 | 1376 | 1520 | 1122 | 792 | 382 | 160 | 100 | 277 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 16 | ESE 8 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | NE 13 | NE 13 | ENE 13 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 4 | SSW 11 | S 8 | SE 11 |
| kJ | 22 | 11 | 48 | 22 | 344 | 326 | 101 | 44 | 43 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 88 | 71 | 5 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 16 | ENE 9 | S 8 | SSW 20 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SSE 6 | ESE 7 | — | — | ENE 9 | — | NE 12 | — | — | E 10 | E 9 | SE 11 | NE 13 |
| kJ | 10 | 7 | 5 | 75 | 18 | 11 | 12 | 5 | — | — | 8 | — | 23 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 4 | — | WSW 2 | S 7 | — | NW 2 | WNW 3 | S 5 | SSW 14 | — | — | SSW 13 | — | — | NE 3 | NW 2 | NNW 3 | NNW 3 | NW 3 |
| kJ | 23 | — | 1 | 261 | — | 1 | 1 | 34 | 5855 | — | — | 2626 | — | — | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 28 | 0 | 28 | 99 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 99 | 1 | 76 | 0 | 99 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 16 |
Best forecast wave conditions in The Wairarapa | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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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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