Napier - Hardings Road Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a good look at the next couple of weeks for the Napier region, specifically that little point at Hardings Road. Gotta be straight with you – this stretch is looking like a proper waiting game. The models have us in a bit of a flat spell for the best part of the first week, and that’s just how it goes sometimes.

To give you an idea, there’s basically nothing surfable from this Sunday, the 16th, right through until around Saturday the 22nd. We’re talking a solid week of no waves worth paddling out for. The water temp is sitting at 53°F which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so if you are just going for a splash, you’ll feel that bite.

Now, that little point at Hardings Road (Napier) is sheltered from the east, which is where any swell will be coming from, but it’s just not showing any energy. We’ll see a tiny pulse on Saturday the 22nd, maybe a 0.3ft ripple, but that’s not surf. The wind’s mostly offshore or cross-off, which would be perfect if there was anything to ride, but there just isn’t. It’s frustrating, I know.

We get into the middle of next week, around the 24th and 25th, and there’s a bit more movement, but it’s still small and jumbled. The swell energy is only moderate at best, with one reading hitting 36 on Tuesday the 25th, but the waves themselves are weak and short-period. Not really worth getting excited over. The east wind on the 24th makes it choppy, though the afternoon does swing around to the west and cleans things up a touch. It’s still tiny, small stuff.

The one moment that looks like it could offer a proper wave, and I mean a proper wave, is the morning of Friday the 28th. That’s the standout in this whole run. We’ve got 3ft of east swell with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy reads 72, which is the best we’re going to see in this window. The wind is fresh and offshore from the southwest, which will have the point holding up clean and lined-up. It’s not a big day, but it’ll be the best shape and push we’ve had in over a week. It’s a beginner-friendly size, but for a point break with an offshore breeze, there’s going to be some fun ones to be had. If you can only get out once in the next two weeks, make it that Friday morning.

After that, it eases off again into the 29th and 30th, with more clean but tiny surf and only moderate energy. The period on the 30th stretches out to 11 seconds, which is nice, but there just isn’t the size to carry it. It’s a slow, drawn-out end to the period. Honestly, it’s a month for patience and maybe getting the gear ready for a better day down the track. For now, keep an eye on that Friday the 28th – that’s your window.

Rusty.

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