Anawhata Road (Oaonui) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up at Anawhata Road (Oaonui). This is a solid reef setup, exposed to the southwest, and it’s about to get a proper hammering from a big, long-period groundswell. The water temp is sitting around 58°, which is pretty much average for the time of year, nothing weird there.

The real story is the kick-off. Wednesday morning, July 15th, is your standout. We’re looking at a solid 10ft swell from the WSW, with a super long period of 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, the kind that wraps around reefs like this one beautifully. The wind is a light cross-off from the NNW, which will keep it glassy and clean. The combined energy is a massive 4131, showing there’s some serious power in the water. This is excellent surf, but at 10ft, it’s firmly in the “experienced surfers only” zone. The reef will handle it well, but the size and power mean it’s not for the faint-hearted. Crowds are a possibility here, as it’s only “sometimes” busy.

The swell stays big through Wednesday afternoon, then Thursday morning the wind swings cross-shore and picks up, making things lumpy. The quality drops off fast after that initial pulse. From Thursday afternoon all the way through to the end of the month, it’s a pretty grim run of onshore or cross-onshore winds, mostly from the west or southwest, with choppy, lumpy conditions. The swell hangs around, but the wind just ruins it.

There’s a small window of hope on Sunday morning, July 19th, when the wind briefly turns offshore from the ESE, and the swell is still a knee-wobbling 6ft with a long 16-second period. It’s rated as marginal, but with clean conditions, it could be worth a paddle for the patient surfer.

Then, on Monday, July 20th, the morning looks clean again with a light cross-off breeze and a 6ft swell. The combined energy has dropped to 1134, so it’s more manageable. Still, it’s a decent option for the intermediate crew.

The best of the smaller stuff comes on Tuesday, July 21st, with a 4ft swell and glassy conditions. The wind is dead calm from the NE, practically zero. That’s as good as it gets for clean, small waves. The period is 13 seconds, so it’s got some shape to it. This is a good morning for a longboard or a funboard.

After that, the wind goes straight to hell again. From Wednesday, July 22nd, through to the end of the month, we’re looking at a solid run of onshore gales, rain showers, and messy, lumpy surf. The swell gets huge again around July 27th, with a 13ft swell and 16-second period, but it’s under a fresh cross-onshore wind, making it a total washout. The combined energy is a staggering 8427, but it’s just a big, blown-out mess.

The only other flicker of hope is way out on Wednesday, July 29th, when the wind goes cross-off from the ESE again, cleaning up a 6ft, 11-second swell. It’s a long way out, so don’t bank on it, but it’s something to watch.

To sum it up: Wednesday morning, July 15th, is the king of the forecast. Big, clean, powerful, and for experts only. Tuesday morning, July 21st, is the best call for smaller, clean, glassy waves for everyone else. The rest of the 16-day window is mostly a write-off due to wind.

Rusty.

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