East Runton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s look at what’s coming. This is a rough one, folks. We’ve got a long stretch of flat and ugly conditions ahead, so don’t be in a rush. The first real chance of anything you can ride doesn’t appear until the middle of the second week, so that’s a big gap of nearly two weeks of nothing good.

East Runton is the only game in town, and it’s a consistent little beginner spot, but the wind and swell just aren’t lining up. The water is running much warmer than normal for this time of year, about 67°, which is a real anomaly.

For the first week and a half, it’s a total wash-out. We’re looking at tiny swell, mostly 1 ft to 2 ft, with short periods of 4 to 6 seconds, and the wind is almost always side-on or onshore, making it choppy and miserable. The combined energy is weak, barely reaching double digits, so there’s no power.

Then we hit a real blank. Around the 8th of August, the swell bumps up a little – 5 ft on the morning of the 8th, with a period of 6 seconds and moderate energy, but it’s accompanied by a side-shore wind and a cloudy sky. The score is zero, so it’s not worth getting wet.

The only thing I’d even think about is the morning of the 11th of August. We’ve got a 5 ft swell from the NW, with a period of 5 seconds, which is short, but the combined energy is moderate. The wind is a light side-on from the east, so there’s a bit of bump, but by the afternoon of the 11th, the wind swings to a light off-shore from the west, and the swell settles to 4 ft from the NNW with a period of 8 seconds. The energy jumps up and the wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions”. It’s not a classic, but it’s the best we’ve got. The clean conditions and a bit of period make it the pick of a very flat run.

The 12th of August also has a clean off-shore wind in the morning, with a 3 ft swell from the north, period 8 seconds and moderate energy. It’s surfable, but nothing special. After that, the swell drops off and the wind gets stronger, so it’s back to the drawing board.

So, best bet: if you’re desperate for a paddle, aim for the afternoon of the 11th of August at East Runton. The off-shore wind and that little bump of 8-second period swell might give you a few grovelly rides. Crowds are sometimes around, so you might have some company. Do not expect anything world-class, but it’s the only window in the whole 16 days that’s worth getting wet for.

Rusty.

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