Devonport Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s have a look at what’s on offer.

Honestly, mate, it’s a pretty bleak stretch ahead for the next 16 days. The forecast is showing a long run of poor surf conditions with no real standout windows. There’s a big gap right from the start – nothing worth paddling out for on the first few days. The wind is stuck in a cross-off or cross pattern from the west, and the swell is either too small or too messy to get excited about.

For Devonport Rivermouth (New Zealand), the first real mention of any surf comes on Wednesday, July 22, with a 5 ft swell from the NW, but the period is a weak 6 seconds and the wind is a stiff 19 mph cross-off. The combined energy is only 185 – moderate at best – and the water’s sitting at 56°, which is about average for this time of year. The conditions are clean, but the wave quality is poor. Not worth suiting up.

Thursday July 23 morning is tiny – 1.0 ft with a long 15-second period, but the energy is a measly 41 and the wind is still 16 mph. The afternoon picks up to 5 ft again, but same story: short period, strong wind, poor surf.

Friday July 24 morning has a 1 ft, 16-second groundswell – too small to do anything with. The afternoon sees a bump to 7 ft from the WNW, but with a 7-second period and 19 mph cross-off, it’s a lumpy mess. Energy hits 362 (moderate), but the quality is still rated poor.

Saturday July 25 morning is 4 ft, 7 seconds, 12 mph wind – clean but weak. The afternoon drops to 4 ft and the wind eases to 9 mph, but it’s still just not happening.

Sunday July 26 morning has 6 ft, 6 seconds, and a cross wind from the WNW at 12 mph – that’s a moderate cross-shore with chop. The afternoon cleans up to cross-off but it’s still not a wave you’d drive for.

Monday July 27 morning gets a 6 ft, 7-second swell with 16 mph wind – marginal at best, energy at 287 (moderate). The afternoon is cross-shore and messy.

From Tuesday July 28 onward, it’s all downhill. The swell drops to under 3 ft, the periods are short, and the wind stays onshore or cross-shore. You’ve got a few days with tiny 0.3 ft to 2 ft swell from the north-east, and the wind is light but onshore. No energy, no shape.

The whole second week is a write-off. The best part of the window is a few afternoons with clean conditions, but the swell is just too small and weak to make any waves. There’s no standout, no hidden gem, no reason to get excited. For a river mouth point break, you need a decent west or north-west swell with clean offshores, and we’re just not getting it.

If you’re a kite surfer, some of those afternoons with 12 to 19 mph cross-off winds and 5 ft to 7 ft swell might be interesting, but for paddle surfing, it’s a flat, frustrating run. It’s one of those times when the forecast is just stubbornly poor, and you’d be better off checking back in a few days – these things can turn.

Rusty.

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