Bay of Plenty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with the local scoop for the Bay of Plenty. We've got a bit of a mixed bag coming our way, so let's break it down.

The big news is that we kick things off with a true standout this weekend. Saturday the 4th of July is looking like the best bet by far. Bay of Plenty (beach/jetty) is the spot. We're talking a solid 8 ft swell from the SSE with a long 12-second period, giving it a ton of energy (2349). The wind is glassy from the ENE at just 3 mph—absolutely perfect conditions. The water's sitting at 71°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. This is proper groundswell, and while it might be a bit much for beginners at that size, for any experienced surfer, Saturday morning is the session to aim for. The afternoon holds similar quality with a 7 ft swell. Keep in mind, with a long period like that, it'll be better shaped and have longer lulls between sets, making the paddle out easier. Crowds are possible, but for quality like this, it's worth it.

Sunday the 5th sees the swell drop to 5 ft in the morning with a cross-shore NNE wind, making it more of a marginal day. The afternoon gets bumped up to a 12 mph NE wind, so it's not going to have the same shine. Things get pretty quiet after that. From Monday the 6th right through to the morning of Thursday the 9th, we're looking at small, weak swell and unfavourable winds—not really worth paddling out for.

Now, Thursday the 9th of July morning brings a surprise. The swell is tiny at 3 ft, but it's a super long-period groundswell from the S at 14 seconds, and the wind is glassy again from the S. The wave energy is moderate (664), and it's rated as very good conditions. This could be a sneaky clean wave for the patient surfer on a longboard, especially as that long period will wrap around better at points and reefs.

Then we hit another dry spell. From Thursday afternoon the 9th all the way through to the morning of Saturday the 19th, it's a tough run. Most days are a mix of cross-shore or cross-on winds with weak swell or poor conditions. There's a pulse of bigger swell on the 11th (6 ft), but with rain showers and cross-on winds, it's not going to be clean. The 16th shows a 7 ft ENE swell in the afternoon, but again, the wind isn't cooperating.

Looking way out, there is a flicker of hope for the 19th of July. The Sunday morning has a nice 4 ft SSW swell with a 12-second period and a cross-offshore WSW wind. It's rated as very good conditions. That's the one to keep an eye on for the second week, but it's a long way off, so don't hold your breath just yet.

So, to sum it up: this weekend is your clear winner. Everything else is a waiting game or a gamble on a clean, small window.

Stay frothy,
Rusty

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