Waiaha Rivermouth / Honls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a 16-day outlook for the region, and the only break on the radar is Waiaha Rivermouth / Honls. Let’s get into it.

The overall pattern is a pretty drawn-out affair. We’re looking at a long period of marginal surf and tricky conditions. The standout session, and the one you’ll want to circle, is the afternoon of Monday the 24th of August. We’ve got a 2ft SSW groundswell rolling in with a solid 13-second period, and the wind goes glassy. That’s a real treat—clean as a whistle, with the combined energy sitting at a moderate 236. It’s not big, but it’ll be the best shape you’ll see all week.

After that, the surf gets a bit mushy. Through the rest of the week and into the start of September, we’re hanging in the 2ft to 3ft range, mostly from the S and SSW. The winds are a bit messy, mostly cross-on or onshore, so expect a lot of light wind ripples. The energy stays moderate, hovering between 163 and 495. Nothing really fires up until the afternoon of Monday the 31st of August. That’s another glassy window with a 2ft S swell, but the period jumps to 19 seconds—very long, clean lines. It’s small, but the quality will be there if you’re patient.

Then we have a slight uptick on the 1st and 2nd of September. The 1st of September afternoon sees a 3ft SSW swell with an 18-second period, and the wind goes light cross-shore. Energy is a strong 569. That’s probably the best size you’ll see, but it’s still a reef break, so it’ll handle that long period better than a beach. The 2nd of September morning shows a 4ft S swell, but the wind is onshore, so it’s not as clean.

From the 3rd of September onward, it really trails off. The swell drops back to 2ft to 3ft, and the winds get more cross-on and choppy. The energy falls below 200 by the 4th. The 5th of September has a 2ft SSW swell with an 18-second period, but the wind is cross-shore and the energy is weak at 199. The last few days into the 8th of September are all marginal, with small swells and inconsistent winds. It’s a long grind of small, choppy surf.

The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

Look, Honls is a consistent spot, but this stretch is more about picking the clean windows than chasing size. The glassy afternoons on the 24th and 31st of August are your best bets. The rest is just a wait-and-see game.

Rusty.

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