Anawhata Road (Oaonui) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Alright, let’s have a yarn about what’s coming up at Anawhata Road, that reef set-up over at Oaonui. This joint is exposed to the south-west swell, and it’s a fairly consistent spot that usually handles a solid groundswell pretty well. Water temp is sitting at 15°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

The first real chance to get wet comes Monday afternoon, July 6th. There’s a solid 2.5m swell rolling in from the WSW with a long 16-second period – that’s a proper groundswell with plenty of punch. The combined energy is strong at 6548, so you’ll feel that power. Wind is a cross-off from the ESE at 30 km/h, which is actually not too bad for this break, keeping things reasonably clean. But the report flags it as marginal, likely due to tide conditions. It’s not a total write-off though, and if you’re intermediate and above, it’s worth a look – just be ready for a bit of size.

Now, the standout for the whole forecast comes Tuesday morning, July 7th. The swell drops a touch to 2.1m from the WSW, still with a long 15-second period, and combined energy is 2105 – still solid. But the wind is a gentle cross-off from the ESE at just 15 km/h, and it’s clean. This is the pick of the early days for experienced surfers. The wave quality looks excellent, so if you can get out there Tuesday morning, that’s your window.

Tuesday afternoon gets a bit messier – cross-shore wind from the SE at 20 km/h brings a cross-chop, and the swell drops to 1.8m. Still surfable, but not as good. From Wednesday the 8th through to Sunday the 12th, it’s pretty grim. Strong winds, rain, and a gale on Thursday the 9th with 5.0m swell and 70 km/h winds – that’s blown out, dangerous, and only for the kamikaze crew. Thursday the 9th and Friday the 10th are pure chaos with gale-force winds and huge, messy swell. Don’t bother.

There’s a bit of a recovery on Sunday the 12th. Morning brings a light cross-off from the east at 10 km/h, with a 1.4m swell from the SW hanging in there at 16 seconds. Clean conditions, and the energy is moderate at 997. It’s a “very good” call, so a nice little session if you’re keen. But it’s not as powerful as the Tuesday offering.

Then we hit a dry spell. Monday the 13th through to Tuesday the 14th is small – dropping to 0.5m – and windy. Not worth paddling out. The next real beacon is Wednesday the 15th, where a new pulse of 3.0m swell from the W shows up, but it’s cross-onshore with a moderate breeze, so choppy and messy. Not great.

Now, here’s the second real standout, but it’s a week and a half out, so take it with a grain of salt: Thursday the 16th of July. The morning has a 3.0m WSW swell with a 15-second period, and the wind swings offshore from the NE at 25 km/h. That’s clean, offshore, and the energy is 3874 – strong. It’s rated marginal, but the offshore wind and solid groundswell make it a promising call for experienced surfers. The afternoon looks even cleaner with a light cross-off from the ENE at 15 km/h and 3.0m swell – that’s a top shelf session if it holds. After that, Friday the 17th gets shredded by a near-gale from the SSE and big 3.0m swell – blown out, no go.

Finally, on Monday the 20th of July, there’s a glassy morning with 3.0m swell from the WSW, but the period is short at 8 seconds. Combined energy is 1795 – still moderate to strong – and it’s glassy, which is rare. That could be a fun, clean wave for experienced surfers, even if the short period means it’s a bit lumpy. Tuesday the 21st also shapes up with a glassy morning, 2.1m WSW swell at 13 seconds, and clean conditions – another good option for the experienced crew.

So, the best of the best? Lock in Tuesday morning, July 7th – that’s your call for clean, powerful surf. Long-range, keep an eye on Thursday the 16th and Monday the 20th, but don’t book your flights just yet. Crowds at Anawhata Road can pop up sometimes, so be prepared if you hit it good.

Stay safe, catch you in the water.
– Rusty

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