Bay of Plenty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty checking in from the Bay of Plenty. Let's have a look at the next couple of weeks.

Alright, we've got a pretty patchy run ahead. The next few days are looking like a write-off, honestly. The swell is small and all the wind is cross-shore, which is just going to mess it up. Don't even bother getting the wetsuit on for Wednesday the 22nd or Thursday the 23rd—it's a messy, cross-chop situation with tiny waves. Friday the 24th is a total no-go; we've got a massive 10 ft swell ripping through, but it's being thrashed by a 28 mph cross-shore wind. That's kite-surfing territory, not for a paddle board. The wave energy is strong (1447), but it's just a washing machine out there.

The weekend isn't much better. Saturday the 25th has a bit of a cleaner look with an offshore wind in the morning, with a 5 ft swell from the SSE, but the period is a short 9 seconds, so the energy is just moderate (507). It's still a marginal call. Sunday the 26th is back to poor conditions.

We then hit a bit of a dead zone. Monday the 27th through to Thursday the 30th of July is all poor surf with mostly onshore or cross-shore winds. It's a rough stretch.

Then, finally, a bit of light. On Tuesday the 28th of July, the afternoon goes glassy. The swell is only 3 ft, but it's clean and glassy. It's a tiny wave, but it'll be the best we've seen in a while.

Now, looking further ahead, the first of August has a real gem. Saturday morning, the 1st of August, is looking very promising. We've got a 3 ft swell from the south with a very long 18-second period. That's a proper groundswell. The wind is glassy, and the wave energy is solid at 877. This is a standout for the whole period. It's a long-period swell, so it'll be a bit more lined up at the reefs and points, but for a beach/jetty break like the Bay of Plenty, it should still offer some clean, fun waves. Expect clean conditions.

Then, Sunday the 2nd of August morning is another strong option. We've got a 7 ft swell from the ESE, still with glassy conditions. The energy is moderate (701), but the bigger size and clean wind make it a solid choice. This one is getting into the size where beginners might find it a bit much, but it's a great call for anyone with some experience.

After that, the forecast gets a bit wild. Monday the 3rd of August is looking at a 10 ft swell from the east, but it's predicted to be too big for this break. The wind is clean, but that's a lot of water moving around. That's an expert-only day if you're brave enough. Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th are also too big for the break, with huge swells over 8 ft. The wind is clean on Wednesday, but that's an 12 ft swell.

We finally get a reprieve on Thursday the 6th of August. The morning session looks excellent with a 6 ft swell from the east, clean cross-offshore winds, and strong wave energy (898). That's a great way to finish the forecast period.

So, the best of the bunch is clearly the Saturday morning, 1st of August, with the glassy 3 ft south swell, and the Saturday morning, 2nd of August, with the clean 7 ft swell. After a long stretch of nothing, those are the ones to circle on the calendar. The water temp is sitting at 72°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no dramas there.

Rusty.

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