Anawhata Road (Oaonui) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let's break it down in feet and Fahrenheit.

The first week is a mixed bag of wind and swell, but a couple of mornings are absolutely worth setting the alarm for. The big one to circle is the morning of July 30th, but only if you've got the chops.

Monday the 20th is a waste. A 5ft swell from the WSW, but that ESE wind at 12 mph is blowing cross-off, keeping it clean. The energy is weak at 980, and the report says it's marginal. Not worth the paddle.

Tuesday the 21st morning is the first real highlight. The wind goes glassy from the east at 3 mph, with a clean 4ft swell from the WSW and a 13-second period. The energy is moderate at 531, and the conditions are glassy. This is your best early bet for a clean, fun session. The water temp is 59°, which is about normal for this time of year.

Wednesday the 22nd is a mess. Onshore winds and a short-period 7-second swell. Sit this one out.

Thursday the 23rd morning sees a pulse of 6ft from the WSW with a 13-second period and a light N wind at 9 mph blowing cross-off. The energy is decent at 987. Clean conditions make it a solid mid-week option.

Friday the 24th is a write-off. Strong winds and a junky, short-period swell.

Saturday the 25th brings a big 13ft swell from the WSW, but the wind is howling. The afternoon session has a 25 mph NNW cross-off wind, but that 13ft with a 16-second period is a serious groundswell. The combined energy is 7881, which is very strong. This is an expert-only day, and it's going to be a battle.

Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th are blown out by strong cross-onshore winds. Don't even think about it.

Now, the next one. Tuesday the 28th morning – mark it. The wind goes glassy again from the east at 3 mph. We've got a 7ft swell from the W, but the period is a short 7-seconds, so it'll be a bit lumpy. Still, the energy is moderate (720) and the conditions are glassy. A decent morning.

The real standout is Thursday the 30th of July morning. This is the one. The forecast is for 12ft of WSW swell with a very long 16-second period. The combined energy is a massive 8331, and the wind is a gentle ESE breeze at 9 mph blowing cross-off, keeping it clean. The report says "exceptional surf conditions for expert surfers". This is a reef break (Anawhata Road), so that long-period groundswell will be firing. This is the one you wait for if you're experienced. The afternoon is also solid with 10ft and a 16-second period, but with a light cross-on wind.

Friday the 31st of July is a blowout again. The first week of August sees a return of some cleaner conditions. Saturday the 1st of August afternoon has a glassy 7ft from the WNW with a 7-second period, and the conditions are glassy. A nice, mellow finish.

The following week from the 2nd of August has some serious size, but the wind is a problem. The 4th of August Tuesday morning has a massive 16ft from the NW with an 11-second period and a combined energy reading of 13681 – that's heavy. But with a cross-shore wind, it's a mission. The setup here looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

So, the bottom line: the best of the run is the morning of Thursday the 30th of July if you're an expert, or the glassy mornings of Tuesday the 21st and Tuesday the 28th for a more manageable session.

Rusty.

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