Anawhata Road (Oaonui) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s cookin’ for Anawhata Road (Oaonui).

This is a tricky run of days ahead. The first week is a bit of a write-off for decent paddle surfing, with a lot of wind and messy conditions. The real magic, if the forecast holds, is tucked away in the second week. The water temp is sittin' around 58°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year, no real surprises there.

We start on Tuesday, the 4th of August, and it’s a no-go. We’ve got a solid 10ft swell from the WSW, but a screaming 19 mph onshore wind from the SSW is gonna ruin it. The combined energy is massive (2549), but it’s all for nothing. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a surfing one. The wind stays ugly through Wednesday, shifting SE with a cross-shore, but the swell is dropping and the period is long (13 seconds), which is a good sign for shape, but the wind and chop are just too messy for anything fun. The waves are around 5ft, but the score is a dud.

Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th see the swell drop to knee-to-waist high, with clean-ish conditions, but just not enough push. Energy is down to between 91 and 219, so it’s a skunk.

Saturday the 8th is a bit of a tease. A new, short-period (8 seconds) NW swell fills in to 8ft, but it’s paired with a strong, cross-offshore wind. The energy is moderate (778-994), but the short period and wind won’t make for a quality wave. It’s a pass.

We hit a dry spell from Sunday the 9th through to Tuesday the 11th. The swell hangs around 3ft, but the wind is inconsistent, and the energy is weak to moderate. Nothing to get excited about.

Now, Wednesday the 12th is where things start to look up. The wind goes light offshore from the NNE, and the swell is a clean 3ft from the WSW with a very long 17-second period. The energy is moderate (471), and the conditions are clean. You’ll be scratching for the bigger ones, but it’s a nice, quiet session on a reef break.

The standout starts to build on Thursday, the 13th of August. This is the pick of the early part of the run. We’ve got a 3ft to 4ft WSW groundswell (16 seconds) with a light offshore breeze, and then it goes glassy in the afternoon. The energy is moderate to strong (995-952), and the conditions are described as "very good." This is a proper, clean reef wave with a long period, meaning it’ll have some punch for its size. It’s a bit of a hidden gem session, but watch out for the occasional crew, as it can get a crowd.

The following week gets serious. Friday the 14th is a washout with a massive, building swell and howling onshore winds, but the weekend and into the next week is where the heavy stuff is. The absolute best of the forecast is on Sunday, the 16th of August. Swell hits 12ft to 13ft from the WSW, with a very long period of 17 to 18 seconds. The energy is off the charts (9822 to 16119). The morning is clean with a light offshore wind, and the forecast says "exceptional… for expert surfers." This is a big, powerful reef break. The afternoon swell gets a bit too big with a cross-onshore wind, so it’s strictly for the well-equipped, experienced crew. If you’re a beginner, stay well away. This is over 8ft, so it’s only for experts.

Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th keep the size up (12ft to 15ft) with a cross-shore wind, but the energy is still massive. The conditions are marginal, but for the brave, there will be bombs. The final decent window is on Wednesday, the 19th of August, with an 8ft WSW swell, 11-second period, and a light offshore wind. The energy is strong (1749), and the conditions are "excellent for experienced surfers." It’s still a big wave, so it’s not for the faint of heart.

So, here’s the take: the first week is a bust. The real action is the second week. The big one is Sunday the 16th for the experts, but Thursday the 13th is the best bet for a cleaner, more manageable session if you’re an intermediate.

Rusty.

Read more