Anawhata Road (Oaonui) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for the next couple of weeks at Anawhata Road (Oaonui). This is a reef setup, exposed to the SW, and it’s a fairly consistent spot. The water temp is sitting pretty much average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

Right out of the gate, we’ve got a bit of a wait. Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd are mostly a write-off – the swell is there, but the wind is a mess. Wednesday is cross-onshore with a moderate breeze, making for choppy, poor conditions. Thursday morning looks a bit cleaner with a cross-offshore wind, but the quality is still marginal at best.

Friday the 4th is a no-go. The wind is howling out of the NW at 25 mph, creating strong cross-shore chop, and the swell is a messy 12 ft with a short period of only 8 seconds. That’s a lot of water moving around but not much wave shape. This setup is honestly looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

We get a bit of a reprieve on Saturday the 5th morning, but it’s still cross-onshore and lumpy. The afternoon is a bit of a tease – an 12 ft SW swell with a 14-second period, but the wind is cross-shore and messy. Still, the energy is strong, so there’s power in the water.

Sunday the 6th has some clean conditions thanks to a cross-offshore wind, but it’s blowing a near gale in the afternoon. The waves are big, 8 ft to 10 ft, and the period is a solid 16 seconds, so it’s got real grunt, but the wind is just too much for a comfortable paddle.

Monday the 7th is a bit of a mixed bag. The morning has a gentle cross-onshore breeze and a 8 ft SW swell with a 15-second period – strong energy – but the wind keeps it fairly choppy. The afternoon switches to a cross-shore wind, but it’s still messy.

From Tuesday the 8th through to Friday the 11th, things get lean. The swell drops off, the wind is messy, and the scores are low. It’s a bit of a dead zone. You’ve got a few days of marginal surf, but nothing you’d race to the water for.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Sunday the 13th morning is the standout. The wind is barely a whisper from the NNW, glassy clean, and the swell is a 3 ft WSW groundswell with a 15-second period. That’s long-period energy, which on a reef like this can produce some beautifully lined-up waves. The combined energy is low, but it’s a very clean, quality window. The surf is small, but it’ll be pristine. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

Moving into the second week, Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th are a bit average – messy winds and lumpy conditions. But then we get another big pulse. Wednesday the 16th morning is a ripper. A 15 ft WSW groundswell with a 17-second period – that’s massive, very long-period energy, and the combined energy is staggering. The wind is a gentle onshore breeze, so it’ll be a bit choppy, but with that size and period, this is a serious expert-only session. The reef will be handling that power, but it’s going to be a heavy, powerful wave. The afternoon, however, is a full onshore wind, so it’ll be blown out.

Best on offer: Sunday the 13th morning for the clean, glassy conditions, and Wednesday the 16th morning for the sheer size and power – but only for the experienced crew.

Rusty.

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